Collegiate Times

Funny thing about journalism: It’s really difficult to write about a positive topic. As much as we all have to be thankful for, the world has a long way to go before we can all sit around and sing “Kumbaya.” With an abysmal economy, young teenagers being bullied literally to death and politicians who line their pockets rather than represent the needs of their people, we could all use a little light at the end of a very long tunnel.

Yet once in a long while, an event occurs that unites people from around the world in the spirit of hope.

For 69 days, the world watched in anticipation as thirty-three miners stood 2,000 feet underground in hopes of a miracle. On Oct. 12, that miracle came to fruition as the first miner saw daylight for the first time in over two months. And 22 hours later, the last miner reached the surface.

Around the world, people rejoiced for the lives saved and for a moment, it seemed that for once, we all could unite in celebration of victory and heroism in the face of grave peril.

It doesn’t seem to happen too often anymore. Most of us learned a long time ago that “happily ever after” rarely ends the stories that fill our all-too-real lives. After all, it seems like yesterday the world watched as 29 West Virginia families laid to rest their loved ones in April of this year.

Reading the stories about the miners praising God as they reached the surface, kissing the earth, hugging their loved ones, and thanking those who had saved them made me realize how much we all take life and the positives for granted. In a world where stories detailing the latest death and destruction plaguing our country are a dime a dozen, is it not revitalizing and refreshing to finally hear some good news?

Come to think of it, when is the last time the mass media unanimously celebrated an event as whole-heartedly and passionately as they did the Chilean miner rescue? Events such as the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, Apollo 13’s successful return home, and the release of 52 American hostages from the United States embassy in Iran all come to mind, none of which occurred in the 21st century.

Peering through a looking glass at the last decade, it is quite evident that modern America, and the rest of the world for that matter, is on a “bad news binge.” Only out of earth-shattering tragedy has our society been able to unite under a blanket of optimism for the future.

In the face of everyday toils and struggles, we all tend to lose sight of the common humanity that pervades all societies and cultures, regardless of nationality, sexual orientation, gender, race or creed. Between hunting down jobs, paying bills and discovering the meaning of life, positive thinking can seem like a fruitless task while in the throes of the latest crisis plaguing our lives.

Yet, if positive news became the routine instead of the exception, perhaps the course of our journeys could more frequently resemble that of the Chilean miner rescue and less like most other events that capture our attention on a daily basis.

The power of positive thinking has been remarkable and ubiquitous, spanning civilizations and centuries. It has even been proven to encourage medical recovery in patients faced with staggering odds. We can only imagine what courage and determination the miners demonstrated as they waited in darkness for what must have seemed like eternity.

Instead of dismissing the Chilean miner rescue as merely a glimmer of hope amid the bleakness that pervades reality, we should look to their survival for inspiration and proof that, contrary to popular belief, not all trials end in defeat.

Perhaps on a small level, their rescue can act as a testimony to the power of optimism and belief in the efforts of humanity to serve the common good. As Anne Frank once said, “I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.” If we wish to change the tides of devastation that seem to be the staple of our generation, we must first transform our paradigms.

A version of this article appeared in the Oct 22 issue of the Collegiate Times.