Half-Full

Half-Full. I’m Positive!

I love books, literature, stories and words. Jesus used parables to teach people about morality and virtue; literature is no different. Because I have always been passionate about reading and because I believe there is so much to be gained from immersion in books, I have tried to help my daughters cultivate a love for books.

Over the last few weeks we have been reading The Secret Garden before bedtime.  There are large portions of the novel that I have forgotten since the first time I read it. Reading it as an adult, capable of more analytical thinking, has made a beautiful story all the more amazing because of the virtues espoused on every page. It is ironic how changes I have been attempting in my own life coincide perfectly with the blossoming of the characters and the garden in this magical story.

I have been known to get into some major funks and about 99.9% of the time, they were all of my own creation. Yes, I’ve had some circumstantial stuff – beyond my control – that has contributed to me feeling blue, but those things were exacerbated by my pessimism.

About a month ago, during one of my bouts of melancholy, a very dear friend of mine pointed out the fact that I wasted a great deal of time and energy being negative. Me, negative? I always used to think of myself not as a pessimist, but as a realist. Those words, however, struck me with such force that I had an epiphany and knew it was time to make some changes in my thinking and my life.

After years of listening to my well-intentioned mother, badgering me to read The Power of Positive Thinking, I finally picked up the dusty paperback and read it. The funny thing is, as much as I adore books and believe in their ability to impact personal and social change, I did not believe that this particular book was going to change my life and I could not have been more mistaken.

Reading The Secret Garden with my girls is further driving the point home. If you’ve never read either of these books, I highly recommend the read – especially if you have a tendency toward negative thinking. The human mind is like a garden. It must be cared for and tended to or it will wither or be overrun with weeds. “Two things cannot be in one place. Where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow.”

I cannot begin to explain how amazing I feel as a result of simply making an effort to change the way I think. I used to tell people that being me was exhausting – and it was! I’ve also always said that I am a work in progress, and for the first time in a long time I can honestly say that I am enjoying the new ways I have decided to shape and mold my life. My friend, I cannot thank you enough for your candor.

Roses or thistles? The choice is yours. Pour yourself a half-full glass of optimism. It is positively refreshing!