Frank Sheeran, dying of cancer, told the story of how he put Jimmy Hoffa down, and confessed his sins, all in the expectation that God would forgive him. Hugo Chavez, also dying of cancer, forgot he was an atheist Communist long enough to confess to a priest. And they were not the only ones. Faced with imminent death, most people want to square things with God. People on deathbeds have confessed to unsolved murders and to any manner of criminality, all because they believe God will forgive them, no matter what they had done. These people are all optimists. The optimist believes God will forgive him even if he isn’t truly repentant, while the pessimist thinks God will not believe he is truly repentant, even if he is. The pessimist is doomed whatever he does, while the optimist has a puncher’s chance.

 

The pessimist knows God is smart

And plans to lay him low

God knows he prays to play a part

As he prepares to go

He pleads to God in tear stained voice

To let him tell his side

That life had given him no choice

But His will he’d abide

And then as death drew quiet near

And children gathered ‘round

God bent and whispered in his ear

‘Tis wanting you’ve been found

The optimist on other hand

As on his death bed climbs

Smiles calmly to the family band

Because he’s dropped some dimes

On guys he knows had said a prayer

And off to Heaven sent

And so it was without a care

To God his message went

He had the goods on many friends

If God would care to know

And he would tell to make amends

And thus avoid below

The optimist as death drew near

Quite certain that his fate

Was Heaven bound was shocked to hear

God say it was too late