” I can’t be a pessimist because I am alive. To be a pessimist means that you have agreed that human life is an academic matter. So, I am forced to be an optimist. I am forced to believe that we can survive, whatever we must survive.“– James Baldwin

James Baldwin had it a lot tougher than most of us, an outspoken gay Black radical in the years when all of those things were dangerous. I love this quote of his.

I can’t be a pessimist either, because I am alive. I am an optimist, I believe that I can survive whatever I must survive.

I will never surrender the meaning in my life to any politician, one from the left, one from the right, one from Mars. For me, hope is not something that is forced upon me, but something I choose to believe in.

Elections and politicians do not get that kind of power over my life, no matter their politics. My soul and identity live deep inside of me, and they are on the table for anyone else to steal or take from me.

History is chock full of heroes like James Baldwin, people who risked everything to be themselves, to keep their dignity, to retain their optimism and hope and faith.

Baldwin had many more reasons than I will ever have to give up hope and trade his optimism for hatred and grievance. He never did, and neither did so many others in our country and in the history of the earth, including the countless men and women who gave up their lives and legs and peace of mind so that I can write what I want and believe.

The bible says “And the truth shall set you free,” John 8:32.

That is what the Bible says Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “if you abide in my word,  you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

I’m an admirer of Jesus, but he asks too much for me. I don’t ever demand that people accept my truth, truth is what sets all of us free. I celebrate the many millions of truths in the human spectrum, this is what sets us apart from the animals.

We are all seekers of the truth, and what a challenge that is for many of us to accept.

I am not Jesus and have no interest in his job. If you abide in my word, you will know only my idea of truth, yours is as good as mine, and God is not speaking through me, lucky being.

But the truth has set me free. Everyone else is called to find their own. This has been a time of truth for me, I feel liberated and grounded, and with some purpose.

It is through the darkness that I have always found the light.

I never presume to be right, I am so often wrong. But I will never be a pessimist.

Because I am alive. And I will survive whatever I must survive. And a meaningful life is not possible without faith.