"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world." ~ Jack Layton
I was listening to the Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean the other day. At the end of the show he gave a commencement speech to the students graduating this year. He had a lot of words of wisdom and as always it was a good show. But there was one statement that really stood out for me and still does. He said 'Spread optimism, not cynicism.' This was good advice to kids about to embark on the start of the adult lives, but I think it is also a great statement, and reminder, for adults.
Every day we are bombarded with negativism. The news is filled with stories of people betraying or being betrayed, hurting people, hurting animals and hurting the environment. It can be overwhelming. I am finding the older I get the more aware I am of what is going on the world and it can be hard to maintain optimism.
But I think we, as a global community, have to maintain and spread optimism. It isn't easy. Shit happens and it happens often. But sometimes having it happen, although it seems really crappy at the moment, can turn out to be a good thing. I speak from experience on that one. Plus, if we didn't have bad times in life, or hear about bad things, then we couldn't and wouldn't appreciate the good stuff.
So how about we try out what Stuart McLean said and spread optimism. And let's follow the late great Jack Layton's advice of being loving, hopeful and optimistic. After all, what do we have to lose by doing so?
Peace out my loving, hopeful, optimistic friends!
