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O Optimism
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered." — G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936), British author. All Things Considered, "On Running After One's Hat" (1908).
Or, in the words of the more common cliché: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."
Source: The Columbia Dictionary of Quotations
During basic training, an overzealous drill sergeant assigned his recruits to rake up the leaves around the post. He yelled and screamed that he wanted every leaf swept into a pile. Upon inspecting one recruit's work, he found a lone leaf that the young man had missed. Turning to the private, he pointed to the leaf and roared, "WHAT IS THIS, SOLDIER?" Without hesitating, the recruit replied, "A ONE-LEAF PILE, SIR!"
(...which proves that it is possible to see the bright side of life in most cases, if we'll only try.)
Source: Reader's Digest, 5/94, p. 155.
Topics/Tags: Perspective; Optimism
From Aesop's Fables:
THE BAT AND THE WEASELS
A Bat who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped.
Aesop's moral: "It is wise to turn circumstances to good account."
To escape his dilemma, the bat needed only to point to the obvious. Like the bat, we have some very simple, usable, even OBVIOUS tools at our disposal in life's dilemmas—tools like prayer, scriptural meditation, discipline, righteousness, boldness, and childlike trust. As we become willing to use these tools, we too can "turn circumstances to good account."
Source: SAGE Digital Library
Topics/Tags: Optimism; Attitude; Boldness; Discipline
"A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition."
____
With the joy of Christ at the fore of your life, you can overcome even the most "cloudy" circumstances.
Source: William Arthur Ward
"Hang in There With Optimism"
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl,
One was an optimistic soul;
But the other took the gloomy view,
"I shall drown," he cried, "and so will you."
So with a last despairing cry,
He closed his eyes and said, "Goodbye."
But the frog, with a merry grin,
Said, "I can't get out, but I won't give in!
I'll swim around till my strength is spent.
For having tried, I'll die content."
Bravely he swam until it would seem
His struggles began to churn the cream.
On the top of the butter at last he stopped
And out of the bowl he happily hopped.
What of the moral, tis easily found
If you can't hop out keep swimming round!
Source: Lark Lewis. In "Pastor's Helper" email discussion list, 2/11/1999.
Topics/Tags: Persistence; Perseverance; Optimism
Think positively!
The Israelite soldiers thought, "Goliath's so big we can never kill him."
David thought, "He's so big I can't miss!"
Source: John Maxwell, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998
Topics/Tags: Attitude; Aim; Expectations; Optimism
Be an optimist!
Asked which one of his works he would select as his masterpiece, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, at the age of 83, replied, "My next one!"
Source: John Maxwell, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998
Topics/Tags: Optimism; Expectations; Old age
If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches & pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, though no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can ignore a friends limited education and never correct him/her,
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
Then, my friend, you are ALMOST as good as your dog.
Source: John N. Walls. In "Pastor's Helper" email discussion list, 3/20/1999.
Topics/Tags: Perseverance; Dog; Optimism; Attitude
Did you hear about the optimist that fell off the top of a 40 story building? As he passed the 10th floor he was heard to say, "So far so good..."
Source: unknown
"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."
-- J.M. Barrie
Source: J.M. Barrie
Browse By Topic O Optimism