Thank you to everyone who sent a note of concern, prayers, well-wishes, good vibes, and all the wonderful posts in the last couple of days since I posted what happened with my leg. They are very much appreciated! Gracias!
There was a common comment in some private messages asking how I could be so positive. My answer? Well…what’s the alternative?
I know there is a lot to be angry about lately… and I know that’s an understatement. But, you see, I’m an optimist. I’ve always been. I can’t seem to help myself. I always see things on the sunny side of life, glass-half-full, with a smile on my face. Guess I was just born that way. Or maybe I learned as I got older to have more faith in myself than allow the outside forces to dictate who I was and how I should feel.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have my moments. I worry. I overthink sometimes. I get pissed. I use to hold grudges – that was never a good look. But I also know that I control my own reality. So, when I begin to worry or be down, or something wants to make me feel “off-kilter,” I shake it off. My kid hates when I tell her to do the same.
Just shake it off. Keep moving forward. One step at a time. Don’t get discouraged.
“MOM!”
Okay, okay. Guess I had to learn to be optimistic rather than discouraged at times, too.
One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.
Lucille Ball
And in 2020, with so much happening around us, it’s easy to get discouraged.
Covid-19.
And, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, and so many others …
And, the protests.
And, Portland.
And, the government.
And, the police state.
And, the school system.
And, demanding parents.
And, anti-masks.
And virtual classrooms.
And, social distance.
And, no hugs.
And, all the craziness that have now been thrust upon everyone.
Optimism can be difficult to maintain.
I am too positive to be doubtful. Too optimistic to be fearful and too determined to be defeated.
Unknown
And, people ask me, “how can you still be so optimistic about our future?”
I have to be. It’s in my DNA. And, damnit, I am not going to give in to those forces that want to determine whether or not we are all worthy, valued, loved, joyful. Because you know what?
WE CREATE OUR OWN REALITY.
I can’t control the world – shit, who can? But I can have an impact on MY world. I can do my part to keep people safe. To keep my family safe. To find joy and love and worth in my world.
To vote and encourage voting for change.
To try and uplift those around me when they need a hand.
To cry when it does feel like too much.
To dance when my leg feels good.
To sing even when my family tells me to “please stop.”
To smile, even when I’m wearing a mask.
And, breathe.
And pray for those that are on the front line fighting for our rights because they are there for all of us.
And know, that while the pendulum may not have finished pivoting backward, it must begin to return to center.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for.
Seamus Heaney
So each day I meditate. I have my crystals. I light my candles. I listen to music. I don’t wallow – that takes too much time and energy.
Why? Because I have hope in my heart.
I know this way of being, of thinking, isn’t for everyone. But just as my beautiful and equally optimistic friend, Melanie, told me when she heard about this new leg injury, “Well, the cha-cha is forward and backward…so just keep dancing.”
Dance with me, please!
I hope that we can all begin to be even the tiniest bit optimistic – for a world in peace. A world of understanding. A world of equality. A world without COVID. A world that appreciates its inhabitants. All of them. A world of love. A world without pain. And, I know that is a BIG HOPE!
But, hey, I’m a cock-eyed optimist.
Carmen is a single mom who acts, sings, drinks coffee and writes stuff as she authentically navigates life. Sometimes it’s interesting, sometimes not so much. You can decide. But if something moves you, drop a line, share it far and wide, and let me know what you think! Be sure to check out her business website, Heart-Centered Marketing and Business Solutions.
