Glass Half Full

Life is what it is.

The person that said that to me today has come SUCH a long way in her young, young life, and I couldn't be happier. It's so incredibly powerful when one finally come to that conclusion. It's important though, VERY important, to recite that phrase with a glass half full attitude, not glass half empty.

If you're a glass half empty type of person, "Life is what it is" means "Why try any harder?" or "No use making an effort to change." That's complete bullshit. A fatalist mentality.

But if you're a glass half full person, "Life is what it is" means that into every life a little rain must fall, but that only makes you appreciate the sunshine that much more. When you experience sorrow, it only makes you embrace joy all the more. It means you DO try all that much harder, that you make every effort you can to change and make things better.

Life is an incredible journey. If you take the time to learn from your mistakes, appreciate what you HAVE instead of wasting time by longing for things you DON'T, take joy in every day spent with sight, with hearing, with the use of your hands, your voice, your taste and smell... appreciating all the things you have and can do that others don't and cannot... THIS is when the phrase "Life is what it is" becomes powerful.

I'm experiencing some severe heartbreak and sorrow in my life right now, but this too shall pass. I know that what awaits me when I emerge on the other side will be shiny and new, full of experiences waiting to be explored.

Though the water is a bit murky right now, my glass is definitely half full.

New Year. New Attempt.

Well, here we are, a couple days in to a brand new year. I have but one resolution. It's the same one I've had for about 5 years now. The same one at which I continue to fail miserably. Only this time there's consequences for failure.

Early in the 4th quarter of 2008, I was diagnosed with some pretty severe arthritis in both my knees. It's a genetic problem that runs in my family... awesome hair, bad joints. Go figure. Carrying around 100 extra pounds has only exacerbated the problem, but worse than that, I really don't want to have any type of surgery weighing what I weigh.

Now the resolution has some meaning. How can I continue to eat whatever the hell I want, carrying around all this flab and feeling like every time I stand up someone is smashing my knees with a baseball bat? How long can I continue to wake up in the middle of the night wondering what mother-f'er rammed a flaming hot poker under my knee cap? It's really impacting my life. You should see me hobble through the parking lot to my car. Sad and pathetic.

So, this is it. Do or die time.

If you've set resolutions for yourself, I wish you luck with them. I sure as hell am keeping my fingers crossed with mine.