The True Optimist's Test: Which Glass is Yours?
Life is too short to be lived concentrating on bad things. Take for example the ultimate test: the half-glass of water. To some it’s half full. To some it’s half empty. To others it’s simply half. To me, despite life’s hardships, the glass is always half-full.
In eighth grade I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease; it is not by any means a fatal disease but it drastically changed my life. Crohn’s is an autoimmune disease which attacks the digestive system. In layman's term, Crohn’s causes polyps, ulcers and sores to form in the digestive system.
When I was first diagnosed I was so sick I could barely get through a school day without getting sick or falling asleep. For the last four years I have suffered symptoms; I have not yet gone into remission. Because of my illness, I was forced into a situation that made me mature faster than other kids my age, giving me a unique perspective on life.
This challenge made me realize that I can’t focus on the negatives in life; if I did I might drown in them. I live moment to moment and enjoy every thing I can. Because it’s after the little things -those seemingly insignificant moments pass you by- that you realize that those moments were some of the best. And it’s only after you experience something awful that you realize how much you can miss those moments and how much you had taken them for granted.
I’ve been through plenty of bad times. My mission from now until the end of my life is to never regret my decisions, create the best memories I can, and pursue the good moments. Life can be too short, and perhaps the glass is only half-full, but I plan on filling it to the brim.