Idaho faith: Being optimistic is not just an outlook. It’s a call to action in pandemic

Do you see a glass that contains 50 percent liquid and 50 percent air as half-full or half-empty? The idea of this proverbial expression is that your answer represents your viewpoint of the world. If you say that the glass is half-full, it might mean that you are an optimist. If you say it’s half-empty, it might mean that you are a pessimist.

An optimist tends to view trials and tribulations as learning experiences or temporary setbacks. An optimist patiently waits for the rainbow at the end of a storm. That is why the rainbow is a symbol of hope and better times to come.

Optimism can be taught. An ancient Sufi story recounts a Middle Eastern king who was continuously torn between happiness and despondency. The king summoned a wise and enlightened man and asked him to bring balance and serenity in his life at any price.

The wise man offered him a simple gold ring with the inscription, “This, too, shall pass,” but the monarch did not understand its meaning. The wise man told the king to wear the ring, and whatever happens, good or bad, to touch the ring and read the inscription. This way, he would always be at peace. According to Jewish tradition, the above monarch was King Solomon.

In his address to the Wisconsin State Agriculture Society on Sept. 30, 1859, President Abraham Lincoln said: “It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words, ‘And this, too, shall pass away.’ How much it expresses! How chastened in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depth of affliction!”

An optimist looks for a blessing in disguise during difficult times. Chinese folklore narrates the story of an old peasant in a remote village who owned a single horse that he used for plowing his field. One day, the horse sprang over a fence and ran away to the mountains. All the peasant’s neighbors came to console him for his bad fortune. He replied: “Good luck or bad luck, who can tell?”

A week later, the horse showed up with a flock of wild horses, and all the neighbors came to congratulate him for his newfound fortune. He said again: “Good luck or bad luck, who knows?” Later that week, his son was bucked off a wild horse he was trying to tame, and he broke his leg. Every neighbor saw this as a sign of misfortune. Once again, he said, “Good luck or bad luck, who knows?”

A few weeks later, the emperor’s army arrived in the village with the purpose of drafting all young and able men to quell a rebellion somewhere. Every young man was recruited, save the peasant’s son, because of his broken leg. Was it good luck or bad luck? Who can tell?

You often hear a religious person say that God works in mysterious ways. This is like the idea that we do not control bad events when they happen to us, but it is how we choose to react to them that can have an impact in our lives. In general, a spiritual person cannot help but be optimistic in life.

The following verses in the Quran give comfort to the soul as we read in Chapter 94:5-6: “So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief. Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.” In other words, after difficulties or distress come relief and ease. These twice-repeated verses are comforting because of God’s promise that ease will follow hardship.

The current pandemic is a clear and present threat to all mankind, but it will not last forever. We have reasons to be optimistic because scientists have developed several vaccines that have been shown to be effective against COVID-19. The threat of this virus will continue to be present for some time as it mutates into more contagious forms or even into deadlier variants of the current strains. Hopefully, with time and herd immunity, there will be some real protection against this virus.

Meanwhile, each one of us must continue to do his or her part while we are waiting to be vaccinated. This is not the time to let our guard down, and we need to avoid reckless and irresponsible behavior. We need to continue to mask up, socially distance and avoid large group gatherings. I wish some of our elected leaders would lead by example instead of rejecting common-sense measures that can effectively protect our communities during this public health crisis.

Being an optimist does not mean living in denial of the facts. Being an optimist is a call to action. An optimist will embrace the truth and then behave in a positive, constructive way for a better tomorrow. If you want to be an optimist, act as a change agent to make your vision of the world a reality.

This story was originally published January 30, 2021 at 8:00 AM.