Half Full or Half Empty…..

   The glass  sat on the kitchen counter still containing a bit of iced tea.  After careful analysis by those in the room, it was determined that some thought the glass was half full while others saw it as half empty.

   Some people might say that there were two points of view possible in this situation, but in fact there are three. The first group looks at the glass and sees the glass half full. The second group sees the glass half empty. The third group doesn’t see the glass at all and only laments the lack of enough iced tea.

   How we view the glass may determine how we see our lives and the world in which we live.

   One only needs to look at the events around us to see that people react to things that effect in our lives in very different ways. There are a number of events around the world today that are affecting the lives of families and friends. As reported, the number of deaths seems to be overwhelming . The deaths and personal injuries being suffered by many would be enough to cause one to look at things and life in these events as “half empty” at best or more likely to decline to see anything positive at all.

   Many might look at situations and events and say that this is part of our existence  and life in the world today and we just need to move forward, get over it one might say. It is a glass half full and these types of situations have always been part of living.

   Each day we are bombarded with news and pictures of horror and tragedy, whether it be wars and conflicts around the world or places within our own country hit with unbelievable situations and suffering caused by violent weather and storms. At least once a week I threaten to stop reading the news or refuse to turn on news broadcasts in an attempt to lessen the onslaught of the bad and the ugly.

   Is it the influence of the media that determines our view  of a half fill or half empty glass?

   But human nature being what it is, it’s not too long  before I read the articles of turn on the television to get my daily dose of world events. And every once and a while, tucked quietly between the stories of sadness and disaster are stories of hope and joy.

   So now we have optimists and pessimists. The optimist will tell you the glass is half full while the pessimist will tell you it is half empty. The person who doesn’t see the glass at all is just angry or in despair and can tell you nothing.

   It is interesting that on all avenues life is made up of a system of checks and balances.

   Whether it is Nature at work or the way we think, people see things differently. Out of a give and take may emerge something far better and that may not be a bad thing.

   It is encouraging that despite differing views,  there are times when most of us come together for a greater good. It is too bad, however, that often it takes a crisis or emergency, a military conflict, or a disastrous storm to provide the motivation for us to work together.

   Now about that glass on the counter? Both sides finally agree the regardless of how much  tea is in it, it’s time to  either fill it up again or put it in the dish washer.