Hope, Optimism and Overcoming Cynicism

I had lunch with a lovely lady today and we talked about current politics and how so many people tend to be dismissive and cynical. It is easy to generalize and expect the worst of people, sometimes too easy, but while the harder path may be learning to trust it is more rewarding and fulfilling in the end.

I love "The Rifleman" and someday I will devote a post strictly to that great TV western. My aim today, however, is to use an episode of "The Rifleman" to illustrate my point.

This episode is called "End of a Young Gun" and the guest star is a young Michael Landon, before "Bonanza". Landon plays a gunslinger, a young man with a chip on his shoulder, mainly because he has fallen in with bad companions and also because he wants to impress his older brother. Landon, though, has a kind heart under that gruff exterior and gradually realizes that if he is to be happy, he needs to take a chance on the kindness of others. He needs to learn to trust.

At one point, Lucas tells Landon, "So they stole your place.  That's tough, but it doesn't mean the whole world is bad.  Only a fool or a child would reason that way."

"The Rifleman" was a great western with a lot of valuable lessons woven into it's storylines. This is one example.