In a year of such turmoil, I can see how mentioning Pollyanna could be irritating. Pollyanna has become synonymous with being naively optimistic.
But the real Pollyanna, a character from Eleanor Porter’s novel, actually had a grasp of life’s darker sides. Her mother died giving birth to her (imagine the guilt), her father of a heart attack. In the novel, her aunt makes it clear she is an unwelcome burden. Later Pollyanna loses the use of her legs. And yet, she endeavors to see the positive in the most painful circumstances.
Lately, people have been calling me a “Pollyanna” – not as a compliment. When I say things like, “Maybe we could keep a good thought for the president” or, “Maybe we could keep a good thought for the president-elect,” people roll their eyes, perhaps thinking, there she goes, talking about sending sparkles and keeping good thoughts – as if I have no idea what’s going on.
I wonder if it would help them to know I’ve been living with terminal cancer for more than 10 years. Multiple tumors cover both my lungs. A couple of doctors have said my treatment will fail rapidly and I could drop dead at any moment. I have lost my hair, my eyebrows, my eyelashes, my dignity, and some days, due to a crazy chemo side effect, my most passionate prayer is not to pass gas at an inopportune time. (Is there ever an ideal time to pass gas, LOL?)
Every day I look death in the mirror. Like Pollyanna, I try to find the silver and golden linings, not only for my situation but for what we’re all facing: the pandemic, the fear-mongering, the strife – we know the list well, because we are living it.
Being Pollyanna does not mean being toxically positive or mindlessly oblivious. Being Pollyanna means being open, even a little, to activating solutions. Being Pollyanna means instead of being angry, entitled, and critical, we open ourselves, if only slightly, to finding common ground.
Who didn’t love it when former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton joined forces in appealing for help with relief efforts for the earthquake in Haiti? Who doesn’t smile when the Grinch’s heart grows, giving him superhuman strength and love?
Maybe it is our turn to embody the goodwill of our former presidents and Dr. Seuss’ beloved character. Maybe instead of cursing the current administration, or the incoming administration, or those who are different from us, be they White, Black, Red, or Blue – maybe we can reach across the metaphorical aisle. In the words of Nobel Prize Laureate Bob Dylan, “Your old roads are rapidly fading / Please get out of the new one / If you can’t lend your hand.”
The great news is, we can all lend a hand. And no one would call Bob Dylan a Pollyanna. Or President Trump for believing in Operation Warp Speed. Or President-elect Biden for pledging to vaccinate one million people in his first hundred days. Or Martin Luther King for having a dream.
Maybe it’s our turn to dream. Maybe it starts right here, right now, with something as simple as donating a few items to the nearby shelter. Or asking a neighborhood school how we can help. Or suggesting our government elicit further assistance from Amazon, Fed Ex and UPS, all masters of logistics, to help organize the vaccine distribution. Or asking our former first ladies to join together on a cause we can all get behind.
Maybe we can make our own list of small, manageable ways we can contribute, even when we ourselves might feel broken. Maybe we can start by being merciful, not only to others, but to ourselves. Maybe it is giving ourselves permission to listen to some music we once loved, but haven’t heard in years – or even decades. Maybe it is finding ways to replenish our own souls. Maybe it is laughing at a joke no one else thinks is funny because the joke has no guile.
For Valentine’s Day, I hope to join forces with a local food pantry for what I’m calling Operation PB & J: making PB & J sandwiches for those who do not have the means. No, it will not solve the problems of the world. But it is a beginning.
Maybe just knowing we can lend a hand, in whatever way resonates with us, will help us remember Pollyanna was not a foolish girl, but a hero who worked to make the world more beautiful.
And maybe that is not so bad of a way to greet 2021: with a glimmer of hope and wonder – a sense that no matter our circumstances, we can make a meaningful difference, for each other and for ourselves.
“because we dreamed it
it came true” — jani johe webster
Nila J. Webster is a Revere resident.