I am just an aging Pollyanna.  At least I try to be.  Sometimes I have difficulty seeing the bright side of situations.  Mostly, I really want to be optimistic.  Happiness comes from knowing that there is always a possibility for peace.

We live in a world full of bad news stories and fear-mongering.  Can’t we challenge these factors with a message of Pollyannaism?  Well, the only way I know to counteract the negativity, is with a powerful dose of positive energy.  And if it’s not me, then who can I count on to keep my mind on the upside of things?

I read somewhere recently, something to the effect, that listening to or watching the news is not good for our psyches.  I try to limit the amount of news I take in on a daily basis, so this little tidbit supported my behavior.  I have strayed from this practice occasionally and it has put me into a day-long funk.  So I will continue to limit the bad news.

But beyond that, what do I do?  I just try to temper my negativity.  Now some people who know me, could tell you that I have plenty of negativity about some things.  But, I am working on it.  A work in progress, that’s me.  I am trying not to be “a piece of work.”  That is something altogether different.

There is a reason I wanted to write about this topic.  Children are that reason.  They need to see that there is a choice one can make in any situation.  We can always choose our attitude.

I remember when I was a child, thinking, “We can all get along, can’t we?”  I was always surprised when it wasn’t the way things worked out.  “Why?” I thought. “Why didn’t people get along?”  I was a peacemaker.  I wanted everyone to get along.

Beyond my experiences, there is a universal force that unites humanity.  We need each other to survive.  If we can get along well, we can survive well.  This is reason enough for me to continue to be a Pollyanna.  So, I guess I am on my way to being a very old Pollyanna.  And I’m okay with that.