Staying optimistic in challenging times

Staying optimistic in challenging times. This year's oratorical prompt has my students defining and redefining what it means to face "challenges". They have turned the word "optimism" upside down and side to side. One even Googled: What does it mean to stay optimistic in challenging times? 

With a couple of weeks into the process, writers are way beyond what any search engine can offer. They are sharing their moments in life that no one else has lived. Continually, I'm awed by their acts of bravery. First, to live in this messy tangle of a world and walk into class with a smile (mostly). But also to write. To trust their audience and, most importantly, themselves.

My writer friend––@Walking the Dog––endorsed writing for discovery many years ago. So when my students set their pasts on the page for a closer examination, I cheer them on. The significance of their lived experiences grows deeper word by word. Next comes a conversation:

What did you learn from this? 

Finally, the theme is far greater than one taken from a fairy tale. It is both timeless and modern, also wise and compassionate. The best words I heard this week are worth etching in marble:

I didn't know why I was writing this story, and now I do.

These times are challenging. But when young people are making breakthroughs like that, I believe we can all feel a lot more optimistic about tomorrow.