Do you all remember "Pollyanna" the movie or the book written by Eleanor H. Porter. It is the story of a little girl who moves to a town and has an extreme effect on the people of the town by playing the Glad Game. The glad game is a game taught to her by her father where you are always looking for and finding the bright side of things in every situation. Now why am I talking about this you ask?
A couple of weeks ago as many of you know, Trent was laid off (due to this economy of ours). I remember the first day literally being in shock, crying, couldn't imagine what we were going to do. My sister Cathy called one day to see how I was doing and was talking how she had come across the movie Pollyanna and how she had stopped to watch it, having not seen it in years. Cathy reminded me of how optimism can change the way you look at things. I have always been a realist, verging on being pessimistic. I always think of the worst things before ever thinking of the good. But since talking to Cathy and having prayed harder than I have ever prayed, my outlook has changed. I have thought maybe Pollyanna is onto something. At the end of the book/movie (spoiler alert) Pollyanna loses the use of her legs through an accident- she sits in despair until all the people whose lives she has changed through her sunny outlook on life come to her and remind her of the glad game. She ultimately plays the game and realizes in searching for something to be glad about that she is glad she still has legs.
Now all that being said- I still worry (a lot) but somehow I have decided to be more optimistic. I have found some strength I didn't know I have, to wake up every morning and to be happy, to be happy for my kids, be happy and supportive of Trent, somehow believing that this is not the end. It will be a new beginning and that our family will come out stronger because of this bump in the road of life. Not everyday is perfect but I'm not the sobbing mess I somehow thought I would be. I might just have to start playing this glad game, because I know that there are plenty of things to be happy about. What about you, wanna play along?
