A Glass

"Optimists find joy in small things. They enjoy sunsets, a good conversation with a close friend; and they enjoy life in general. They are more concerned with having many small joys rather than having one huge joy." -Robert M. Sherfield

Not too long ago, I read an article written by Jane Pauley in which she writes how she does tend to be a 'doubter' as opposed to an optimist. She indicates that if she could choose, she would choose to be an optimist. And she really kind of thinks that she is more of a realist as opposed to being a pessimist.

My thought is that a pessimist believes the grass is dry and dead. An optimist believes the grass is always lush and green. The realist simply knows where the fence is that divides the patches of earth. I believe you can be a optimistic realist, which means there can be pessimistic realists as well. So I choose the optimistic side of the fence.

I guess what this gets down to is do you fret over the little obstacles in life? Do you wait and wait, worrying until the time is perfect to get past these obstacles? After all is said and done, most experts agree that once you have gathered information and mulled it over for some amount of time, just do something.

So here I am telling you to just do something, but it takes a positive attitude to give you that courage. The optimist is more likely to jump in the boat, oars in hand and try. A pessimist is unlikely to give it the old 'trial and error' college try.

In order to try and think more positively, here are three tips:

1. Give Thanks: Terry Paulson, Ph.D., author of The Optimism Advantage: 50 Simple Truths to Transform Your Attitudes and Actions into Results, says to tell others what you're grateful for. When you share positively, the whole energy of your attitude changes.

2. Keep Moving: Moods can spiral downward, therefore you need to stay physically and mentally active according to Margie Warrell, author of Find Your Courage: 12 Acts for Becoming Fearless at Work and in Life.

3. Focus Forward: If you set lofty goals, they improve your outlook in life. Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., and author of Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. He recommends to live in the future with short- and long-term goals to keep yourself positive.

The glass can be whatever you want it to be. Just keep filling it each day with good things, good thoughts and a good life; your best life.

Big Idea

"Believe in something larger than yourself... get involved in the big ideas of your time." -Barbara Bush

The thought of coming up with one big idea is daunting to most people. We sit and think and think some more about one big idea. The sitting around thinking all day never accomplishes anything. All we end up doing is just thinking.

There are those of course that have a big idea every day. They rush out and each big idea fails. The problem is that those big ideas are self centered. How to make the next big dollar, millions mind you. But when you look only selfishly at the next big idea, failure will normally occur.

When you look to connect yourself with a big idea that helps others it changes the game. Even your own idea, outwardly, unselfishly, sacrificial will grow into a big idea. Your big idea will impact and change peoples lives without even realizing it is going to happen.

Where is your big idea going to go?

A Day Filled With Happiness

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens." -Khalil Gibran

You have been given a wonderful opportunity. You have been given a life to live. You have been given the greatest gift and it is your life to live. I always wonder why people do not see the wonder in it and choose to live a negative and unhappy life.

Is not life a vanishing resource to us, from the moment we are born the years, days and minutes are numbered? I believe we should be happy in living those moments we call our life.

Reverse the unhappiness, let go of what burdens you and live your life to a full extent.

Shirley Neering Schmidt Creager

This past weekend my wife's mother Shirley passed away. She was born to Royal and Doris Luce a long time ago. She married Paul Schmidt and together they had eight beautiful and wonderful children; each still spread the joy that was Shirley, everywhere they go. Later in life she re-married and spent many years in the desert plains of Mesa, Arizona. It was a life with so many stories.

Shirley's life and story was filled with all of the pain and joy that comes with living this grand life. We each get to make what we want and can of that life. Shirley did just that.

You know, when a life ends, the length of that life is always far too short for those remaining. We each want one more day, an hour or even a few more seconds. But we do not get to chose the time or the place, we don't get to hold our loved ones in our arms forever.

What we do get to keep and hold onto are the memories and love for those that have passed before us. It is that love which will never cease, and means our loved ones will never end; love is eternal.

The following poem was written by Mary Frye in 1932. The inspiration came from a young Jewish woman who was living with Mary and her husband. This woman's mother was ill and living in Germany at the time. Due to the anti-Semitic unrest, her mother begged of her not to come back to Germany; that she would be okay.

Soon this young woman's mother died and she was heart-broken that she never had the chance to “stand by her mother’s grave and shed a tear”. She cried in pain at not being able to be with her mother and say goodbye.

Mary Frye then wrote the following poem.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there;
I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there;
I did not die.

In our hearts and memories, Shirley will always be here with us. Even though we never had a chance to say goodbye, we know you are still here with us. And until we get to meet again, the stars will shine and the sun will warm our days. We will know that you are peacefully smiling upon each and everyone of us.