Select Entry- Rick Kohler, Age 36

Welcome to our Optimistic Essay category. Here you will find the $1,000 winning contest essay, 5 finalist essays and 15 honorable mention essays and a growing list of hand-picked select essays that readers submitted during our "Why Are You Optimistic About the Future?" contest.

The future looks bright to me.

Perhaps it's because the wildflowers return to the desert every spring, or because the sun rises after each night or because of the sparkle in my kids' eyes.

I suppose there is no one reason for my optimism. It's a feeling, a sense; It's the companionship of friends and family; It's the smell of the sagebrush after a storm; It's the laughter coming from a schoolyard.

Optimism comes from knowing that people are basically good…and from the basic trust and respect that generates. It's the way that people come together in the face of challenges whether they be tsunami or hurricanes or earthquakes. We are all in it together, and most of us understand that. When we see someone struggling, we offer assistance. When we are struggling ourselves, assistance is offered.

We are fortunate to live in a land of ideals: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. While each of us defines these terms in different ways, the fundamental sense that we can control our own destiny empowers us to strive for improvement. Empowerment generates optimism. When we feel like we can, we can.

While any moment or any day can be a struggle, ultimately, time heals and optimism returns. In recent years we have seen unspeakable horrors and the darkness of human depravity. Throughout history there have been periods of stark contrast. We see fluctuations between pain and healing, between struggle and calm, between evil and good. Yet, in the end, the net result is that the world progresses forward and improves. Life expectancy lengthens. The ability to impact our own lives grows. We tend to learn from our mistakes.

We can now instantly communicate to family members wherever they may be around the world instantly. We see medical procedures that allow us to spend years more of quality life with our kids and grandkids. We conveniently travel to exotic places and see amazing things and meet incredible people. What used to be beyond our dreams is now commonplace. Reflecting upon these triumphs of human ingenuity and spirit leads inevitably to a sense of optimism.

However, nothing impacts the sense of optimism as much as human interaction. Taking a moment to visit with a neighbor or speaking with a distant relative on the phone rejuvenates us. This contact is the elixir of life. If there is one reason for my optimism, it is you. It is the human community. I see "myself in every stranger's eyes" to quote from legendary rocker Roger Waters. And, it's true. As much as we celebrate our diversity, it is our humanity that bonds us.

This is why the future looks bright to me.