Friday, September 16, 2016

How can you feel positive...

... if you always look at the negative? For those of you that know me as a person, and not just as words on a screen, will hopefully think that I normally express a happy positive outlook at life. This doesn't mean my head is stuck in the sand and I don't acknowledge that there are terrible things going on all around me, it just means that I choose to spend my energy thinking positively.

There is one BIG flaw in my positive thinking strategy. More often than not I think negatively about myself. While I can come up with several reasons, scenarios or possibilities on why another person may say or act a certain way, I'm not willing to look for those reasons in my own life. Enough on that thought for now, I had something else on my mind to share.

While it is more evident during a political campaign season, negativity grows and spreads like wildfire if we allow it to gain a foothold in our life. While making my weekly trip to Ohio last night I was looking forward to one of my favorite landmarks. A large crane flying an American Flag. This flag is huge and when the weather is just right, it waves across a bold blue sky. For weeks this sight as filled me with Patriotism and a sense of pride for my Country. A Country that is struggling to hang onto its founding beliefs and freedoms, but a Country that I'm still glad to call mine. Of course being that it is only 1.5 months away from a Presidential Election, there were campaign signs all around too but this didn't bother me since one of the freedoms we enjoy is the right to support and elect our leaders.

Last night, this beautiful Flag and blue sky was tarnished just enough to spread some negativity in my life. As I was driving by I noticed a banner had been added to the crane. This banner did not support a candidate but instead vilified the opposing candidate. I was instantly reminded of childhood playgrounds where name calling and cooties were a real thing. (On a side note, why is it that childhood behavior of name calling and picking on someone is considered bullying but as adults it is considered freedom of speech?) My uplifting moment of observing this beautiful American Flag, and all she stands for, has now been damaged by negativity. Do I agree with what the banner said? I believe it was accurate and truthful but does that really matter? It is accurate and truthful that I am a fat spinster who will most likely die alone, but would you put that on a banner and fly it out where everyone can see? I would hope not.

Maybe Americans need to relearn the lesson that our parents or grandparents tried to teach us so long ago. If you can't say something nice, or positive, don't say anything at all!