PEOPLE who are perpectual optimists always come up with lines that are permanently stuck in their minds. Phrases and remarks like "it's darkest before dawn; even the darkest cloud has a silver lining; everything comes to those who wait; perseverance pays handsome dividends; even the longest hour has only 60 minutes."
I am one of these irritating optimists. People who can unconsciously get on the nerves of the gloom seekers or pessimists. What's there to brood over? If you believe you are going to be one of those sorry victims of Hurricane Wilma, are you going to wait for her to clobber you?
Surely not. You will probably run like hell away from her path. Being an eternal sunshine guy is an acquired art. If you can acquire the habit or smoking and drinking, it shouldn't be that difficult to adopt a good habit like looking on the bright side of things.
I used to have a boss who could be quite irritating because he tended to come up with the most inane lines whenever we went up to him for complaints. Once I expressed my displeasure over some minor office matter. His reply was, "count your blessings." Actually, I would rather have the problem settled ASAP.
I found out through encounters and association with the less-than-cheerful people in decades past that enthusiasm and cheerfulness are infectious after a while. I mean you really can't keep a happy guy down. After a while, the gloomy chap will just be swept away by the tide of good cheer.
However, there are some people who simply love to share their misery. They don't want to hear about the good news just around the corner. They just want to wallow in the "feel-bad" ambience. It may sound a bit strange to you but there are some people, fortunately a minority, who indulge in self-persecution.
Why!? I am still trying to fathom the reason. What's so great about feeling sorry for yourself? Eventually, you will just earn the title of being the Incredible Sulk or Sourpuss Extraordinaire.
I have witnessed small groups of individuals indulging in their favourite pastime - comparing woes of a common kind. For example, married women will talk about their "useless" husbands, unfaithful spouses, and uncaring children.
It's quite sad to be a witness of this kind of phenomenon. What a terrible way to spend the precious hours in a day. I mean comparing the magnitude of your sorrow to your friend's. Isn't enough, you are not the most beautiful person in the neighbourhood or the richest guy in the office?
Begone such thoughts, I say. A long time ago, I decided it's shameful to allow my goodself to be part of this gloomy syndrome. We can be cheerful. We should be happy. It's part of our persona.
If you are happy no matter what circumstances you are living in, you will always be welcomed wherever you go. I used to have an office colleague who goes around saying "happy, happy" to anyone he met. I thought that was pretty original.
That happy guy has since died but the memory of his legendary words fills me with a warmth that has lingered for so long. And so I want to pass on this good feeling. This little formula that will make you a happy person too.
Your family will rest easy too when you return from office and not throw things aroound or put on a sourpuss look. Try it some time soon.
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