Persepctive

  • Published
  • By Chaplain (Capt.) Meade Adams
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Chapel
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The age old metaphor is the “glass half-empty vs the glass half-full”. We all know it and it has become somewhat of a cliché’ today. However, the truth of this modern parable should not be lost on us. It can be argued that there are two types of people in the world: those that see the glass as half-empty and those that see it as half-full—those that define themselves as “realists” who see the world in all of its ugliness as it really is, and the optimists who always manage to find the silver-lining in every situation. Both sides have their pros and cons. There is something to be said for a realistic, no-holes-barred view of the world. These people keep the “half-full” crowd from constantly being taken advantage of. But there is also great value in the optimistic, silver-lining perspective. This view can help the “realists” in our lives have a more balanced, trusting perspective that doesn’t always involve the world chewing you up and spitting you out.  At the end of the day, what it all boils down to is perspective.

Perspective is a choice. How do you choose to see the world? In any given situation you have to choose whether or not to see the glass half-empty or half-full. Research has proven that “half-full” people are happier people. Why? Because of perspective. They have chosen to maintain a positive outlook and a positive perspective. This greatly contributes to their resilience. They are able to recover and bounce back from difficult situations faster because they are able to see silver-linings even in dark corners. Even the most cynical among us can discipline themselves to change their perspective and see things from a different angle. This may be as simple as seeing things from someone else’s perspective. When the waitress is rude to you or messes up your order at the restaurant how different would your reaction be if you stopped a second to think about how her day is going? What could be going on in her life that might have produced this lapse of service? A slight shift in perspective can go a long way. Try it out this week and see what happens.