How have you managed to avoid becoming cynical?

S: I can understand people becoming cynical. But what is cynicism? I think cynicism arises when there is a lack of emotional positivity to safeguard one from cynicism. But I can also see that, despite their lapses and backslidings, and stumbling and straying, people do very often make, at least intermittently, a very sincere effort. So one appreciates that too. It’s not as though the backslide is the whole of the story. I’m also very conscious of the fact that a lot of people have a very unfavourable start in life, so one can’t help feeling for them, and understanding, certainly in some cases, why they find it so difficult to make progress, and why there are so many things to be sorted out.

(Introduction to #LevelUpOurLife)