In a land without hope we must find hope. At a time when we feel lost, we must invent new ways. In our darkest moment we must overcome the darkness and gather round together to rekindle the light. Find ways of illumination.

Whatever way you look at our situation, Daphne Caruana Galizia’s prophetic words about these being desperate times are so horribly true; her death has made the situation even worse. Hope died the day she was murdered.

A few of us—yes, the most desperate thing is that it is just a few—lost all hope. We trudged along as we realised that Malta had not only lost a journalist but Malta has lost everything. Because if you silence the lone voice in the wilderness, the wilderness takes over.

We need to rebel—rebel against the feeling of hopelessness, rebel against the wilderness, the silence, the feeling that there is no way forward. We have to find, and be, the way forward.

If we accept that there is no hope, then the murder has silenced us

It is true that all is terribly desperate: there are crooks everywhere, even in the opposition party. Yet hope needs to shine forth—somewhere, somehow. At least in our hearts to prevent the crooks being the ultimate victors.

The crooks in high places, the crooks that surround us, thrive on our feeling of helplessness.

If we accept that there is no hope, that the murder has silenced us, or that the murder has turned us into suffering but passive bystanders, then the crooks have triumphed. They want us all to be silent or despondent, to feel we are powerless or that it is not worth fighting the desperation that has taken over.

Life right now is truly dark but, if we let hope die, then Daphne has died in vain.