Before the age of two, Helen Keller lost her vision and her hearing. In an instant, her world went dark and silent. Then a godsend named Anne Sullivan broke through Helen’s solitary confinement and touched her soul. As a result, Helen became the first deaf/blind person to earn a bachelor’s degree. She also authored a dozen books, including a manifesto on her philosophy of life, Optimism. ‘No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars,’ she wrote, ‘or sailed to an uncharted land.’ The last page of her book echoes the first page of Scripture: ‘Optimism is the harmony of man’s spirit and the spirit of God pronouncing His works good.’ If God’s Spirit is within you, optimism is the order of the day. Optimism isn’t at odds with the reality all around us. It simply means we’re anchored to another reality – the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ – that is deeper and stronger and longer than the reality we can perceive with our five senses. Helen Keller proved that with an optimistic spirit, even the most difficult of circumstances cannot define you. And even if you cannot change them, you can overcome them. She proved that as amazing as the human eye is, there’s something more amazing – the mind’s eye that enables us to imagine the unthinkable and believe the impossible. It’s why she said, ‘The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.’ Or as Paul put it: ‘Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise’ (Philippians 4:8 NCV). In other words, be optimistic.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.