“If it wasn’t for the optimist, the pessimist would never know how happy he wasn’t.”
– Anonymous (Leaves of Gold, pg. 139)
Okay, I admit it; I just couldn’t pass on this one! Everyone deserves to have at least one reason to smile during a day. This caused me to laugh out loud, so hopefully it brought at least a smile to your face.
Ask me which I am—an optimist or a pessimist—and I will likely tell you I am an optimist. That is what I would want to tell you, and I think generally speaking it is true. I have always had a rather bright disposition. Some of that is my nature, and some has probably come with maturity over time. That doesn’t mean I never have spells when negativity sets in. When that happens, I can almost feel it in my body. Others can see it in my demeanor (just ask my family). My response to the world around me gets more sarcastic and cynical. It is like I temporarily become the kind of person I don’t want to be.
There are reasons for these spells of pessimism, reasons that are not too difficult to identify. At times it can be something trivial that has gotten under my skin, pet peeves and the like. Other times it might be something substantial that is troubling me. Additional causes can be things that lower our defenses, like hunger or fatigue. Whatever the cause, I am thankful for two things. First, that I am mindful enough to recognize the shift in attitude when it happens, and second, that Christ working in me will lift me from the pit and set my feet on better ground. For me, the best thing about those spells of pessimism is this: they are temporary.
I am very sad for people who seem to be in a more regular state of pessimism. It surely cannot make for a happy life. That’s not meant to be judgmental. There may be very serious life events in a person’s past that cement them in negativity. It would not be fair to such a person to simply say, “look on the bright side!” Whatever bright side they had may have disappeared long ago. Proverbs 25:20 says that singing songs to a heavy heart is like pouring vinegar on a wound. The effect is not what is intended. It may be true that some people just need “a little cheering up.” Others need real healing of the soul. In the course of living, I pray God will give me the wisdom to know the difference.
For those truly in need of healing, may the Lord use me as an agent of grace, that in the midst of their day they might find a reason to smile.
See you along the Winding Path.
The Winding Path 