Half Empty
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. It’s a time when I usually reflect back and consider the many blessings in my life. 2012 was not gentle to me or my family. The year presented us with a host of struggles, heartbreak, and uncertainty.
It would be easy to cling to a “glass half empty” mentality as I approach the holiday. Life is not perfect, and the last few months have been difficult. The challenges hover above like a dark cloud threatening to spew more rain. I wonder if it will get better, stay the same, or become worse. Only God knows what challenges lie ahead.
As I ponder these struggles, I am somehow reminded that I have much for which I should be thankful. Sure, I could sit on the couch focusing on my problems and the “empty” parts of life. Instead, I choose to see the glass half full and turn the issues over to God.
I can’t control what will (or won’t) happen in the future, but I can control my attitude. When I look back through the course of my life, the good completely outweighs the bad. The blessings are immense. That’s what I choose to remember this Thanksgiving. I choose the “half full,” not the “half empty.”
Does this make the problems go away? Of course not. Challenges will continue. Chronic illness will remain. Recovery from surgery will continue. Stress will be a constant factor in my job. Other struggles will play out in coming months. It will happen. I can’t change it, but I can choose to be thankful. I can choose to focus on the good in my life. That’s what I plan to do as this day of thanksgiving approaches. I will choose to be a half full kind of girl.
Chances are that you face insurmountable challenges too. Let’s be honest. We all do. Some are better at hiding them than others, but none of us are immune to life’s issues. If you have been consumed with the bad, it’s time to reflect on the blessings. They exist too. They may be simple. They may be small, but they are there. I guarantee it. You can find them if you try. Spend some time this week focusing on your blessings instead of the struggle. Be thankful. You will be amazed at what a difference it can make.
The choice is yours. The glass is sitting on the table. Is it half full or half empty?
