Optimism

Sometimes when people look at a glass of milk, they see the container as being half full.  Other people look at that same container and see it as being half empty.  And sometimes the same person, at a different time of day may change his status from half full to half empty.

Are you happy?

I sat at my breakfast table, eating my delicious Crixpix yesterday morning and I thought about glasses, and milk, and people.  I am teaching a lesson in church in a few weeks, the topic being Optimism.  I thought about that old cliche, the one to which I keep referring.  I wondered, "How cheesy exactly would it be if I really brought in a glass, with some beverage not milk  in it, and asked the class if they saw it as half empty or half full?" And it took me two full seconds to decide it would be too cheesy.  I watched my Crispix float around and I kept thinking about that ambiguously filled glass.

I wonder if people would be more happy if they tried to focus less on the milk in the glass.  Would they be happier if they shifted their gaze to the glass itself, and realized how grateful they were to have a nice container with which to hold their milk, however much of it they may feel themselves to have?  Would they be happier if they could be grateful for having two strong arms and hands that allow them to pour the milk?  Or, in the case of not having two arms, two hands, or the strength to pour their milk themselves, having gratitude that someone had carefully done it for them?  And what about, after reviewing these other blessings, to finally at last return their focus to the milk, and find it within themselves to be grateful that they have something to drink, whether in their opinion it is a little, or a lot?

Well, of course, today I was put to the test.  There's nothing like making sure you're willing to stand behind your own words.  We were not having a good day.  I was tired, I had a headache, Hallie after weeks of dryness had two big accidents, Hanna just wanted to eat and eat and eat again, and there was crying and screaming and I was frustrated, irritated, agitated, and every other tated you've ever heard of.

I was literally curled up on the bathroom floor while Hallie sat on the potty "trying again" when I realized my attitude needed to change.  So I had a headache.  Well, couldn't I be grateful to have a head? And to live in this modern day where they've invented the fantastic Tylenol?  And couldn't I be grateful that my daughter gets enough to drink that she has such nice clear "accidents"?  And couldn't I be grateful that she has healthy lungs and a strong heart that allow her to bellow at such levels for so long?  And couldn't I be grateful that my body is willing to supply enough milk for this hungry baby?

I can.  Am I feeling better after reviewing all that?  Well, I have yet to actually go get the Tylenol, so my head still hurts, but yes.  I gave Hallie a big hug, we had a little talk about accidents, and I told Hanna that there was plenty more where that came from if she started feeling hungry again.  So, yes, I think this day is shaping up.

Hanna says, "Don't worry. Be happy."

Will I actually talk about milk and cups and attitudes of gratitude when the day comes to teach this lesson? I don't know yet. But I have yet again confirmed my theory that we make our own happiness.  It's out there, waiting for us to find it. 

And so is my Tylenol.