Letting Out the String

“Optimism doesn’t wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time.”

Norman Cousins

While thinking about optimism, I ran across this photo my son took of a kite he was flying. I can’t think of many things as optimistic as flying a kite. You have to believe the wind will keep it in the air. Otherwise, there is no point in letting out the string.

Life is like that. You can’t always know how things will turn out. Sometimes you just have to let out the string and see where it goes.

I grew up with optimism as a requirement. Raised by my grandparents, I learned early that my grandmother had little patience for negativity. She expected me to face whatever came along and do what I could about it. Giving up before I had even tried would not have been well received.

She would have liked the Norman Cousins quote I’ve chosen for this post. He was a favorite of hers, both for his writing and for his liberal point of view. They shared a struggle with heart disease and a determination not to give up on life. I think she recognized something of herself in him.

My grandmother was my role model. At the time, I probably didn’t realize how much I was learning simply by watching her. Now I can see how often I have drawn on her example. Her expectations could be firm, but the belief behind them—that we could find a way through—has stayed with me.

As I age, I’m happy not to have lost my sense of optimism. There have certainly been times when it was harder to find. I’ve lived long enough to know that hoping for a good outcome doesn’t guarantee one. Still, I would rather leave room for the possibility that something good is ahead.

I understand how the challenges of aging can become overwhelming. Changes in our health, the loss of people we love, and uncertainty about the future can make it difficult to feel hopeful. Some days require more effort than others. On those days, perhaps it is enough to look forward to one small thing.

Looking at my son’s photograph, I’m reminded that the kite won’t stay in the air forever. The wind will change, and there will be some adjustments to make. But there is pleasure in flying it while we can.

I still want to let out the string and see where it goes.

Peace Be with you.

If you’re new here, welcome. I write about aging with grace, finding beauty in everyday life, and the quiet moments that remind us what matters most. I’m so glad you’ve stopped by.