Learning to be Optimistic

I am trying to learn to be optimistic. Really putting some effort into it. As much as I hate to admit it I am a half-empty kind of girl. I always thought I was just the opposite! But now that I know I am working on changing that. I want it to be my natural reaction someday, not just the thought out choice after a uhmm...excuse me there is something in my throat...different reaction.

My natural "woman" is so happy to see this year end. It has been a tough one. The only thing is, as this year really does come to an end, I worrying about the new one--it might be worse! See what I mean? Kelly and I were driving the other day and I expressed to him how good it felt to finally breathe a little easier. But that naturally, (because it comes so naturally), I was on the look out for that proverbial other shoe. I told him I was trying not to think that way. That I was trying to just appreciate the feeling of having a burden lifted and to just enjoy that feeling without keeping an eye on the sky.

Then Saturday happened. Although, technically I am not sure it really counts as the other shoe. It was definitely not one of our best days. Even my nephew Noah who is 8 recognized it as a bad day. As I sat down on the row behind him, Noah greeted me with "Aunt Danette, I am sorry for your bad day yesterday". How sweet is that? When asked why he would say that he explained to his friend next to him that "both of her daughters were in an accident yesterday--one on a bike and one in a car". Then he concluded "I would say that is a bad day!" And he is right. It was a bad day, but not the worse day.

I saw the good in the day! Maryn, though scraped up and bruised all over, wasn't broken. She cracked her helmet but didn't even have a concussion. Her body will heal and she will be completely whole, no lasting effects. Kelsey's accident involved two other cars and no one was hurt. Three cars had to be towed away, but no serious injuries. Prayers were answered and that is always a good day.

That night after we got some dinner and settled in to just do some relaxing. Kelly told the girls about his feelings the night before. We went to a movie and as we were walking out of movie theatre, just talking and laughing, he said he had the impression and the thought: "My girls are going to be just fine". Then with some tears in his eyes he said he still felt that way. He expressed how grateful he was that they were not injured in the events of today. How it could have been so much worse. But there we were all together. And I was feeling the same thing! All I could think about was how grateful I was that it was not worse. The only tears I shed that day tears of gratitude for prayers answered.

I guess this past year has taught me one more lesson. When really bad things have happened, when you have had a few bad months, you can handle a bad day with not only optimism, but gratitude!