Optimism: A disposition to expect the best possible outcome or to emphasize the most positive aspects of a situation. (according to Websters II Dictionary).
Well, that's me...I'm an optimist. I'm not an overly cheerful person, (certainly never the life of a party), and I do get sad and depressed sometimes, but in most cases I can usually talk myself out of feeling sorry for myself. I've always believed that things will get better. Tomorrow is a new day.
And if I don't like where I'm at in life...I believe that I have the power to change it. Each of us is responsible for our own reality. (Deep stuff I know).
But the truth is--while I've been faced with some challenges in life, I've never really had to deal with many true tests of adversity. I've never known true hardship, and so in reality, my optimism should be a given.
But what if I had been born in Afghanistan or Haiti? What if my house burnt down and I lost all of my possessions? Or what if I were to be diagnosed with a horrible life-altering disease or condition? What type of person would I be when faced with real hardship? Would I still find it within myself to face another day? Or would I give up all hope?
I don't really want to find out.
But these are the questions I ask myself when I see images of starving people on the streets in Haiti. These are the thoughts that run through my head when I think about Americans losing their jobs and their homes. I especially question my own strength when talking to my sister, as she has been to hell and back dealing with health issues.
I recently heard about a 15 year-old girl who was rescued from the rubble 15 days after the earthquake hit Haiti. I'm so claustrophobic, I don't think I would have lasted an hour under the debri.
But I guess these stories of resilience remind us of the true power of the human spirit. And animal spirit too...read this story.
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