In my last post I wrote that my brother-in-law, who lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has “challenged” (I used this word because it’s going to be a real “challenge”) me to write a post which is “optimistic” i.e., positive. Well, I’m going to give it my best shot, although I feel like “Flo” on the Progressive Insurance commercials when they try to get her to go a certain (short) amount of time without talking about insurance – me, not writing about politics. I’ve given this a lot of thought and I think I can be “optimistic” and still not TOTALLY ignore politics. Well, here goes!
My first thought when I want to be “optimistic” is to think of my wife who is still teaching (1st graders). And, of course, I STILL know many teachers even though I’ve been retired for about 6 years. TEACHERS are a group of people who SHOULD be honored and when you think of what they’ve been doing the past year and a half SHOULD make people feel OPTIMISTIC knowing there are so many Americans willing to commit their lives to teaching our youth. And, when you look at the young Americans who are the recent results of our PUBLIC education system – MANY of these young adults are simply BRILLIANT. I have confidence these young people are smart enough to make decisions which will benefit all of us as the “clock keeps ticking.”
My niece is an Occupational Therapist in one of the University of Washington hospitals in Seattle, Washington and she, and the people she works with, to me, are among the heroes of America. She got put into the Covid-19 ICU “team” out of necessity and did so willingly – as so many other people in our public health system have done since the beginning of the pandemic. My niece ended up getting a “healthy” dose of Covid, as did almost every one of her co-workers, and, yet, EACH one of them was right back on the job once they were cleared of the virus. These people have put in an incredible amount of INTENSE hours as they’ve been trying to save as many lives as they can from those who contract the disease caused by Covid-19 and need the ICU in an attempt to save their life. Happily, many of those lives have been saved. There are people all over this nation who’ve been helping to combat Covid-19 for the past year and a half and everytime I think of them, I feel positive.
My youngest daughter is a hospice nurse for the Kaiser health system in the greater Portland, Oregon area. She works with people who are near the end of their lives and she is committed to making each patient as comfortable and positive as she possibly can. They are “short staffed” because, based on my inference, not too many nurses want to work in this area. Before becoming a hospice nurse, my daughter was an oncology (cancer) nurse and she has “body bagged” people who have died and, honestly, I can’t believe my “little girl” is doing such things. However, I feel the rest of us should be very thankful for NURSES (and doctors, and, well, all the other people providing us our health care) – they certainly make me feel “optimistic.”
Another thing I’m really thankful for is the FACT I was able to get a vaccination for the Covid-19 virus – and, it’s working. I live in a rural setting, but the reality is I don’t have to wear my mask in almost every place I go. Life seems to be returning to “normal.” I know there are many people refusing to get the vaccines available to them for FREE – but, I prefer to think “positive” and I’m really thankful I was able to get the Pfizer set of two shots in my arm. My twelve year old grandson got his “shot” right on his 12th birthday – the first day he was “eligible.” That people this young are eligible for the shots makes me feel very optimistic.
Speaking of my grandson, for the past couple of weeks I’ve been able to watch his Little League team and, eventually, the “All Star” team to which he was selected. They just finished (won) the district tournament and it was great to see a bunch of energetic 10 to 12 year olds (one girl I’m aware of) having a great time playing baseball and exhibiting incredible sportsmanship. I watched several very competitive games and not one player showed any kind of “unsportsmanlike” behavior. For me, who played Little League back in the day when the parents were the main problem, when it came to sportsmanship, I didn’t see one adult doing anything “untoward.” In fact, the adults close to where I was sitting applauded the good plays of the players on the OTHER team. I found that very positive!
My oldest daughter has done much better than “dear old dad” and has become very financially secure. (I think she’s “rich,” but I don’t talk to her about money) She not only was volunteering to help in a plethora of ways with the Little League program – more than just my grandson’s team, but she volunteers in numerous other ways. One way I know of for sure is she’s on the “board” of one of the “homeless shelters” in our community and does more than I understand to help out there. (I’m guessing time and financial) You’d never know she’s “rich” when around her – although it’s obvious she’s a successful woman. When I think of all the ways she’s “giving back” I feel very proud of her and, with her and her sister, it’s a lot of my motivation for writing. They are the next generation and they’re far more progressive than – sadly – my generation. However, it’s these young people who are the reason I feel such optimism!
I said at the beginning of this post I think I can reference “politics” in a way that is “optimistic” and let me start by talking about Joe Biden’s “Covid Relief Bill.” By now most of us have already SPENT the $1400 which was part of that “Bill.” There were many aspects of that legislation which SHOULD give us a sense of optimism, aside from the $1400 which many of us could have done without. However, I know many people whose economic security was actually SAVED by that “Bill.” Furthermore, now these people are getting $300 per month for each child and it’s helping several I know to “get back on their feet.” I’ve told anyone who would listen that this bill was the FIRST time in my lifetime I witnessed such an INVESTMENT in the future of our people. To me, that helps makes me feel optimistic.
And, speaking of Joe Biden, he makes me feel OPTIMISTIC! I wasn’t one of his supporters and didn’t vote for him in the Washington primary. However, I’ve come to feel he’s the perfect person for the CHALLENGE he inherited. One reason there are so many people like my brother-in-law who are depressed by the ongoing partisan divide in this great nation is because of the previous four years of individual 1’s reign in Washington DC. Biden is just a likeable “fellow” and he truly does believe he’s going to bring back “bipartisanship” to our nation’s Capital. I’m a bit skeptical (I’ve already begun another post about republicans) but I’m very thankful Biden is our PRESIDENT and I believe he’s trying to do what’s right for “we the people.” I won’t get into the “roadblocks” because my focus here is on optimism – and Joe Biden “reeks” of “optimism.”
I could go on – those examples are thoughts off the top of my head – but I’ll leave it at that. I believe feeling a sense of optimism is merely a question of seeing the “glass half full” instead of “half empty.” In other words, it’s a choice. I “get” it’s much more difficult for some people to see things from an optimistic perspective and I have to add that, despite my posts which mostly are “aimed” at my disagreement with the republican party as it exists presently in America, the reality is that I really am an optimistic person. I suppose that could change, but I’m thankful, despite what I consider the “deplorable” republicans, to have spent my life living in this great nation.
Nothing’s guaranteed in life and I fully understand our nation is facing an assault on her fundamental institutions she hasn’t faced since WW II. I’m OPTIMISTIC “we the people” – enough of us – will FIGHT to save our republic from what “ails” us – and, ultimately, the young progressives among us will prevail. The right leader has always come along at the right time in our nation’s history and I believe we may be witnessing another example of that in Mr. Biden. And, as this all shakes out, I’m CHOOSING to be optimistic!
Final Thought: As usual, I’m too lazy to re-read this before posting it, so I apologize for the “foopahs.” The bottom line is I’m thankful to still be breathing, let alone writing – so, hopefully, I’ll get around to doing what I always insisted my 6th graders do before ever turning in their writing. The good news for me, I’m not doing this for a grade! ☺