“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.” ? Kurt Vonnegut Sunset on Silver Beach, St. Joseph / Cindy La Ferle Every day this year, I’ve been reminding myself to limit my intake of news on current events. Despite our ongoing national turmoil, I keep looking for all that’s beautiful, respectful, compassionate, wise, and loving. I try to block out (or avoid) anything divisive, combative, abusive, or hateful. In other words, maintaining my optimism is…