If hope was ever needed everywhere, it is now. We find it in our towns this week.

A silent symbol of hope, the word in stain glass, was over the shoulder of St. Philip’s Church in Wiscasset’s priest-in charge, Rev. Tom Junkert, as I photographed him for our story on his family’s Ukrainian ties.

In Woolwich, the daffodils were tinily appearing, hard to notice so far, unless a person was looking for them, as a welcome sign of spring. Sometimes, you really have to look for hope.

The robins are here, and area ponds are losing their ice. Time to start watching for turtles crossing the road, if you weren’t already.

Hope for, and solidarity with, Ukrainians was in the hearts of Wiscasset residents displaying the colors of the fellow democracy’s flag. Symbols aren’t everything, but I like to think every positive symbol put out in the world helps counter a negative one somewhere.

Week’s positive parting thought: Keep an eye out for hope.