By Fr. Eugene Hemrick
Yeshua Institute Fellow
“The more troubled the world becomes, the more important it becomes to be optimistic. And the more deeply we need to root our optimism. When we cannot reasonably base it on how things are going, we know we have to base it in the ultimate reality of God. We know it has to be radical.”
That’s advice on optimism is from Beatrice Bruneau’s book Radial Optimism.
What is optimism and how can we best generate it?
Optimism is a spirit, the faith that leads to achievement generated by hope and confidence. It is a heart stimulant that is energizing and contains the conviction all will turn out well.
William James points to the antithesis of optimism in stating, “Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.”
Colum McCann would add: “I'm not interested in blind optimism, but I'm interested in optimism that is hard-won, that takes on darkness and then says, 'This is not enough.’”
How true, a fighting spirit is required for maintaining optimism.
As courageous as the spirit behind optimism may be, it can be much weaker than we suppose. How often have we experienced a formidable team filled with optimism wither, or witness it revert to cynicism?
How then to keep it strong?
Enter Beatrice Bruteau again, who points us to basing our optimism on the reality of God. And how might this be spelled out?
St. Augustine states that the spirit’s health depends on its relation to truth, to the good and the holy. If this connection is destroyed, it is sickened.
The antithesis of truth is falsehood and deception that deflate the spirit of goodness and darken it. They also go against the Ten Commands and the commandment of love. In Italian, the proverb La Providdenza di Dio non manca mai translates: “God’s providence never fails us.”
It reminds us to look at the bigger picture of life and to turn to God to see it. Equally important, it reminds us we are not alone in our struggle to maintain optimism. We have a divine partner.
An inspiring definition of patience is: “Do not allow anything to break your spirit.”
No doubt today’s news is often bleak. We have the option of letting it overcome our joyfulness or to fight a hard-fought battle – one needed to keep our optimism alive and well.