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"As for where I find optimism, I'll tell you — I start my day with prayer and I end my day with prayer. That's the biggest thing in my life. I'm a Roman Catholic and for me, that's where it all starts. Prayer is very personal. My prayer is between me and my God. But of course, I also pray with other people. In Kenya, a lot of our meetings actually start with a prayer."
So said the Hon. Michael Onyango to NPR's Ari Daniel for a charming article, "How do you stay #optimistic in spite of it all? 6 hopeful souls share their secrets."
Where do you find optimism? 😊
I find it in the sea breeze, the smell of the eucalypts, the scent of a rose and mostly from people sharing what makes them optimistic.
What makes you optimistic? 😊
In the same article, Edgard Gouveia Júnior co-founder of Livelab said,
"I find optimism in rural communities, in villages and slums. That's because despite the difficult environment around them, they're able to dance. At different times of year, they come together and celebrate. They bring so many smiles, so much joy. When I see that, I say, "I have more money than them, more education, more access, but they're way happier than me." So I find optimism in those ways of celebrating life and building community.
"I've also found optimism among kids — Black, white, poor, rich — they play and they can enjoy life. They connect. It's only later that they learn about differences and start to behave differently. But when I see how they interact as children, it's all about playfulness. Even during war times or in refugee camps, I see kids finding ways to create joy amongst themselves."
"And finally, in nature — how everything's about collaboration. So when I see the patterns of nature and the way that nature treats me since I was a kid, it's all about optimism. The negativity comes from humanity and the way that we behave to create scarcity — how we're afraid of and draw boundaries between one another.
"But from certain communities, from children, from our elders and from nature, I feel optimistic that we can fix things. That we can create abundance by sharing."
Some Other Perspectives on Prayer and Optimism
Damian Tann, Pastor at Kaniva in the Uniting Church in Australia
"Prayer is a wonderful and effective source for optimism. The connection with something bigger, and someone wiser and more capable, than myself, and the reminder of the grand narrative of hope sustained and promises fulfilled, cannot help but lift."
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