Optimism

Thinking on optimism (a post yesterday): a few hours before my late wife Mirjam died, a woman from Hospice entered the room with a clipboard. She said to her: “We'll try to speed up the process of admission to Hospice.” Then she turned to me: “Only until your wife is quite well again, of course.” I was annoyed. I know death. I walked into the passageway -- where I bumped into the renowned Prof. Jacobs. “With her permission,” he said, “we'll begin radio therapy immediately.” I said: “You know what I know, Professor. She's dying.” He said: “Anything is possible. If I were not an optimist, I wouldn't be in this job.” OBSERVATION: And this, I think, distinguishes two kinds of optimism: a timeless optimism, an abiding attitude like Prof. Jacobs', without which life cannot go on, and an optimism which is time-bound as it were. The timeless optimism of the Christian is coupled with trust in God.