Buy the Pants
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
These familiar words from Jeremiah remind us that even when the future is uncertain, God is there to guide and sustain us. Because of that promise, we can face what lies ahead with hope and confidence.
For some of us, that is enough. We place our lives—and our trust—firmly in the hands of the Lord.
God’s will be done.
Others might prefer a slightly more hands-on approach.
In 1952, Norman Vincent Peale published The Power of Positive Thinking, a self-help book filled with practical strategies, affirmations and visualization techniques designed to help people live happier, more fulfilling lives. More than 70 years later, the book is still widely read, and its basic message—that our outlook matters—continues to resonate.
We’re not sure which approach 100-year-old Bethel resident Loa (not her real name) follows, but she seems to have optimism figured out.
Shortly after celebrating her 100th birthday, Loa went shopping with a family member to buy a new pair of pants.
Did she need new pants?
No.
She simply wanted a new pair.
There’s an old joke that at a certain age you might think twice about buying green bananas. Not Loa. At 100 years old, she’s still making plans, buying pants and looking ahead.
Her optimism for the future seems boundless.
We tend to think of aging in terms of what we lose—our steps slow, our hair grays, our abilities change, and we may give up some of our independence. But growing older doesn’t mean giving up our sense of hope. Optimism belongs to every age, and in fact, it may become even more meaningful as the years go by.
Optimism isn’t about pretending life is easy or ignoring its challenges. It’s about believing that even when life is difficult, there is still something ahead worth looking forward to.
Research on older adults suggests that a positive outlook is associated with better physical health, greater resilience and even longer life.
And perhaps there is something else that comes with age that no study can fully measure: perspective.
With age comes wisdom. You learn that most troubles eventually pass. Victories may fade, but the lessons remain. You discover that you have survived hard days before—and you can survive them again.
You learn that even the strongest storms eventually give way to blue skies and sunshine.
Maybe that is one of the gifts of growing older. Optimism becomes less about simply hoping everything will turn out all right and more about knowing from experience that life has a way of moving forward.
So just as optimism is not the exclusive domain of the young, neither is pessimism the inevitable burden of the old.
Optimism can be nurtured at any age.
Stay curious. Learn something new. Pick up a hobby—or return to one you once loved.
Make connections. Invest time and effort in the people who matter to you.
Practice gratitude. Make a habit of noticing what is good, even on an ordinary day.
Let some things go. Focus on what you can control and spend your energy where it matters most.
Optimism doesn’t mean every day will be easy. It means believing that even in difficult days, there is still something to hold onto—a connection, a lesson, a laugh, a moment of beauty or simply the promise of tomorrow.
And maybe that is what makes all the chapters of our lives—not just bearable, but deeply worth living.
So whatever your age, keep making plans. Keep looking forward.
And if you see a pair of pants you like?
Buy the pants.