Optimism??

This word seems to be everywhere I turn lately; on the news, at my bookstore, even at my place of employment! What are they trying to tell me?? I think, as a whole, I'm a relatively positive person. And no one should be TOO optimistic in my opinion; you know the type: so 'overjoyed' with life that they actually startle you and you want to poke them to make sure they're actually real? So, should we all take note and swallow a good healthy dose of optimism?

I hope there's a happy medium. I was at coffee with a dear friend of mine the other day; she happened to have a book on the table, the subject being, what else, optimism. I believe the title had something to do with your glass being half full. As we were flipping through it, she brought up a very good point...."Can you really be optimistic all the time? Some things just suck!" Her very wise words have stuck with me all week. Some things definetly do just suck. Where would we learn empathy or compassion? How would we learn proper grieving skills? If not for a little realism every now and then we would all be living in Stepford!

So please, media, authors, even employers, calm down! While it's great to be positive, please don't take away our little grievenses. That's where humor comes from! And I need my laughter!