The more I thought about that sticker while I was running, the more I grew to dislike it. Life is good? What kind of person could endorse such an unrealistic generalization? They are obviously in some state of denial, or living in Stepford. Sure, life is good ON MOST DAYS. Sure life has incredible MOMENTS. But to generalize and say "Life is good PERIOD" was a little too much for me.
More than anything, I just laughed at the ridiculous sticker and ultimately forgot about it. That is until I ran across the slogan again a few months later. I found a little shop in St. George that sold a whole bunch of products by the "Life is Good" company. Again I was perturbed by it. It didn't make me angry, it just made me shake my head. While I was standing there in that little shop I thought,"it should say something more along the lines of 'make life good' or 'good things happen.'" And I began to think in more depth why the current wording bothered me so much. I'm not a negative person, I really love my life and am extremely happy with it. But my life hasn't always been good. Any of you that know me well know that I went through a lot as a child with a mentally ill mother and other unfavorable circumstances. And I can say from experience that life is not good for everyone at all times.
I think because of that, one of my pet peeves is people who are one step past optimism--in denial and crossing over into ignorance. I know a certain person who is like this where you can't even point out the simple facts like "we are lost" or "it is raining" or "people are dying in such and such country" without them thinking you are a downer. I like honesty. I dislike dishonest optimism, or disillusioned optimism. Real optimism is as defined in the dictionary:
"a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome."
Again I dropped it, and didn't really think about it again until I was in the car with my mom one day and happened to see the sticker again. Finally, out of frustration I explained why I disliked the sticker and in explanation of my views ended with "I'm just a realist, mom." To which she responded with a hint of humor "that's what all pessimists say!" At that point I couldn't respond. There seemed to be a little too much truth to what she was saying.
Once again, I abandoned the thought and once again it was brought to my attention. (Isn't it funny how God has a way of working with us until we get things right?) In church our Stake President (who is in charge of four or five congregations in our neighborhood) got up and said very poignantly "I want you to know that life is good, that the glass is half full." Immediately I was humbled. Here is a man, that I believe to be full of inspiration, who seemed to speak directly to me, telling me that life is good. Could it be more clear than it is now, that the Lord wants me to know that life is good. The Lord knows everything, He knows all the suffering and all of the sadness in the world, He knows all the suffering and sadness in my life and yet He spoke to my heart that life is still good despite it all.
So during this season of introspection and gratitude I feel myself compelled to a sense of optimism and gratefulness. Grateful because God knows me and has compassion on me and my thick scull. And optimistic that despite it all, life really is good.
And my past self can gawk and I can laugh at the bumper sticker I will soon be sporting.
2 comments:
I like the coming around that you did in your own head. I like what mom said, she knows what to say sometimes, that's for sure. I like the moral of this whole story.
Also remember, it didn't say "life is GREAT" or "life is a fairytale". I grew up with a few, not all of the obsticals you faced and I still always had a "life is good" perspective (sometimes it was a little less than good). But there is always something there to make life worth it.
I remember I had been in this car wreck. It was dreary and rainy out, the other car had been thrown on it's side. By all means things should have been terrible, but as soon as I got out of the car and realized I was alive as well as those involved there was a beautiful rainbow lighting in a sunlit sky and all I could think of was my favorite hymn, "I Stand all Amazed" and I felt surprisingly good.
This was a good entry. I think the additude of someone who generally thinks that "life is good" in turn gives them a good life. You for example, have gone through alot and your life is so good now, you are a perfect example to me of someone who thinks life is good. The experiences you have had are maybe just a reminder to you that life isn't always good for everyone and we need to be charitable and help make others lives good. You are such a good example to me, and I would put you in the optimist catergory.=)
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