Optimism

This is not a time for pessimism.  This is a time for optimism.  This is a time for tremendous hope and joy and optimism and action.  But to embrace the possibilities of tomorrow we must reject the perennial prophets of doom and their predictions of the apocalypse.   

Donald Trump speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 2020

President Trump I do not agree that we should dismiss expert opinion nor should we use inflammatory language in doing so, but on the time for optimism and action you might have a point.

Optimism on the day we leave the EU, you're joking right?!!

Err, actually no, I'm not.

This week I listened to 'What happened when Trump removed the experts?' on the BBC Radio 4 podcast 'Beyond Today'.  In this episode author Micheal Lewis talks about how Trump and Boris Johnson are tapping into anger for their political gain, and that, in his view, one of the most important issues facing us is how we control our emotional response to the world around us.  His advice? "Don't allow yourself to be manipulated by anger."

Unsurprisingly, I started thinking about the language that has been used around Brexit. I do not want to be leaving the EU, I voted Remain. This makes me a Remainer. But as the debate raged over how to implement the 'democratic will of the people' this apparently made me a Remoaner.  The very picture of pessimism whose views can be dismissed as worthless because I'm just cross that I didn't get my way, and that, more importantly, there is nothing I can do about it except moan. Wrong! But I'll get on to that.

Firstly, I want to take a moment to reflect on another event that happened this week.

Remember, it didn't start with gas chambers.  It started with politicians dividing the people with "us v them".  It started with intolerance and hate speech and, when people stopped caring, became desensitised and turned a blind eye.

I have been unable to find out where this quote is from, if someone can tell me I'll edit this later. 

On Tuesday evening I went with a good friend to stand together with holocaust survivors, refugees, faith leaders and members of our local community to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.  The beautifully put together programme by @6MillionPlus was one that focused on hope.  Hope that we would look for the good in people.  Hope that we would put all prejudice aside.  Hope that we would stand united against those who seek to divide us.  No one asked us to be angry.  No one stood up and complained about injustice.

So, on a day that I have been dreading since waking up on the morning of 24 June 2016, am I feeling optimistic? No.  But, do I believe that optimism is a better frame of mind that pessimism? Absolutely.  It symbolises hope, strength, belief in the Universe and has a far greater chance of triumphing over adversity.

I need to take the moments of joy I've felt this week: sharing food with friends; walking the dog; talking to my sister and to my sons; chatting with my husband over a cup of tea (and perhaps a piece of Toblerone); photographing snowdrops and hellebores knowing that spring is on the way, and use them to tap into positive energy.  I know that it won't be easy, that there will be days when the sun isn't shining, when it's cold and miserable enough outside and that's before it starts snowing... of those days I have only one thing to say -  do not dismiss the determination of a woman who can spark joy by donning some running kit and going out for a 6 mile trail run regardless of the weather. It may be Brexit Day, but I am still a European.