Optimism Author:Helen Keller 1903. An essay written by the American author and lecturer. Helen Keller was left blind, deaf and mute at the age of nineteen months due to an illness. She spent many years lecturing on behalf of blind and deaf persons, promoting optimism and the brighter side of life. This is one of her essays entailing the optimism within, without and the prac... more »tice of optimism.« less