The journey is worth the distance

I must share that I have an identity crisis.  In my conversations, when I present positively, I am seen as being an optimist.  Then when I present negatively, I am seen as a pessimist.  I say I am neither.  Rather I am a realist, such then I take a negative or positive interpretation of life, depending on the issue at hand. 

This reminds me of once when I went to mass in Australia.  The priest began the mass with admonishing his congregation to be happy, as they approached mass.  I remember my immediate and internal response as being one of  indignation and resistance.  Why do I have to be happy?  Why do any of us have to be happy?  As we face life and its tribulations, we may have good reason to be sad or scared. No one can tell us how to feel.  Our feelings just are and we deal with them.  Otherwise, we are entering into control, a dangerous area to be.  

It is okay to have days when all we can do is survive.  There are times when we face death or sickness.  Disaster, war and poverty. all play their role in our world.  That is reality.  It surely is good to be happy but that is not always possible, nor appropriate. We have to deal with reality, where we are and when we are.    

Through it all, happiness cannot be our driving force as that can be such a fickle baseline.  Rather it is hope that endures and directs our approach and response to life.  Hope tells us that, despite all trials and suffering, life is good; that nothing will bring life down into some bad ending.  This is not being positive.  This is not making the stance of a modern, western optimist.  This is the stance that comes to us through faith in God, through knowing that God is with us, no matter.  This is a sure baseline.   

Life can be mean, life can be cruel.  Reality can be frightening.  However, none of this directs the narrative of life. Instead, it colours life.  The narrative of life is directed by hope.    

So as my dear friend sits happily at table with family and friends, to celebrate 75 years of life, he sits at a pleasant and calm table, in the midst of a somewhat crazy world.  The latter is reality, but, more importantly, he sits knowing friendship and love, and that God is with him.  Hope is real.  Hope is what we all deserve to make the journey worthwhile.  Ad moltos annos!