Have you ever met a person who, no matter what happens that would put others out of sorts, always seem to find humor and the bright side to everything?
My friend Elaine was sharing how, when she was driving home the other night, she could no longer see stoplights, streetlights or even be sure where she was on the road. It was as if someone had turned out all the lights. Fortunately, her husband was in the car and he took over driving, although this was not an ideal situation either. He’d had shoulder surgery earlier in the summer and was navigating home like a one-armed bandit. Elaine had had some vision problems earlier in the summer that seemed to be on the mend, but this incident indicates otherwise. Amazingly, she was able to laugh and joke about a situation that I know terrifies her.
Then there’s my sister. After a skiing accident where she fractured her back, as the paramedics were feeling bones to determine what wass broken and how to transport her to the hospital, she looked up with them, and with a big grin – in spite of the pain – said, “I’ll do anything to get cute guys to feel me up!”
Thankfully, she recovered from the accident.
I have seen these two women react this way to countless situations that would put most people into an emotional tailspin.
I admire and aspire to be like these two women…to see life as one grand adventure and riding high on the waves of whatever the gods roll out to surprise me. Imagine being able to keep your sense of humor and laugh, no matter what your fortunes are or are not, no matter who or what you lose, no matter how much pain you feel…. Simply by being able to change your perspective to one of “this is what is, so I might as well live it as an adventure” would change everything. Wouldn’t that ability take some of the sting out of disappointments and make even the smallest pleasures greater and the great ones extraordinary?!
This is surely the rarest gift to have, and one to work at cultivating.
Photo by A. Feldman, used through creative commons license from SXC.
Out on a Limb 
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I love this post! I try to do this too, although it’s not always easy in the heat of the moment. I’m remembering one freezing-cold-wet night in August in the Adirondacks where there was nothing between my babies and the elements (probably including bears) but me and a leaking nylon pup tent. During all those hours of nonsleep, I gritted my teeth and told myself over and over how it was going to make a great story someday.
Thanks for sharing, Deb. I can just imagine that experience and I shiver at the thought of it! But you’re right, these things do make great stories in retrospect!