“Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.”
Dalai
Lama (XIV)
On May 23
and 27, I discussed pessimism and optimism. Let’s do it again! No, really, let
us be more optimistic when it comes to talking about optimism! People who know
me will know that I always refer to myself, not as a pessimist but rather a
realistic optimist. Even though I speak out against the woes of the world, I still
consider myself to be a very optimistic person. In this broken world, you need
to be optimistic. There are enough broken things in this world that will push
you completely into the sphere of pessimism. The Dalai Lama, as in our quote
above, hits the target well, but so does Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who says that the
essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, it is a source
of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables people
to hold their heads high, to claim the future for themselves and not to abandon
it to their enemies. There you have it, and does that not sound much better
than wallowing in a state of pessimism and despair? The point is, be positive because there is not much in this world that is stronger than a positive push
and a smile. I want
to conclude with a few words by Lucy Macdonald: “It’s not that optimism solves all of life’s problems; it is just that
it can sometimes make the difference between coping and collapsing.” Let us follow the example of these great men, keep
our heads
pointed toward the sun and our
feet moving forward,
all the time.
I will much rather vouch for optimism
and avoid all forms of pessimism.
To be an optimist does feel better,
and it will liberate you from pessimism’s fetter.
b * a
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∞ -------------------------------------
“Kies optimisme, dit voel baie beter.”
Dalai
Lama (XIV)
Op onderskeidelik
die 23ste en 27ste Mei het ek geraak aan pessimisme en optimisme. Kom ons doen
dit weer, maar hierdie keer met ons primère fokus op optimisme. Nee, ernstig, kom
ons wees bietjie meer optimisties as ek vra dat ons weer na optimisme kyk!
Mense wie my ken sal weet dat ek na myself verwys as ‘n realistiese optimis, al
kom dit soms voor dat ek pesimisties is vanweë die feit dat ek so uitvaar teen
die gebroke menslike kondisie en die stukkende wêreld. In hierdie gebroke
wêreld moet jy nou maar een maal strewe na optimisme… As jy dit nie doen nie,
waarborg ek jou dat die onmin en onreg in die wêreld jou gou kan laat wegsink
in die dryfsand van pessimisme. Die Dalai Lama, in ons aanhaling hierbo, tref
die kol te mooi, maar so ook Dietrich Bonhoeffer as hy sê dat die die essensie
van optimisme is om nie rekenskap te neem van die hier en die nou nie, dit is
eerder ‘n bron van inspirasie, van lewenskrag en van hoop waar andere reeds opgegee
het. Optimisme stel jou in staat om jou kop hoog te hou, om die toekoms vir
jouself toe te eien en dit nie oor te gee aan jou vyand nie. Daar het jy dit
nou, en klink dit nie veel beter as om in ‘n pessimistiese staat te verval en
heeldag te sit en mor en kla nie? Die punt is, wees positief, daar is min dinge
in die lewe wat sterker is as ‘n positiewe hupstoot en ‘n glimlag.
Vir optimisme sal ek altyd my stem dik maak
en alle vorme van pessimisme vermy.
‘n Gemor en gekla is iets wat my min traak,
Dit is my fokus op die positiewe wat my hart verbly.
b * a
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