31: day 13

31 days of gratitude. Day 13.

Reflecting on the mottos and expressions I was raised with...

"...no use crying over spilled milk."

"If that's the worst thing that happens to me then I'm a lucky girl."

"Always gayly forward, never straight ahead."

The first may sound curt and unfriendly. The second may sound dismissive. The third may sound aimless. But that's not how they were used in my upbringing. These sayings were the chapter titles of my unwritten education. My family legacy that I am proud to carry forward is a way of life that sometimes from the outside seems eccentric, at times irreverent, careless, or even absurd. There have been times in my life that I have actively resisted this attitude. My response was "there is something to get angry/upset/frustrated/outraged about. This needs to be taken seriously, confronted, complained about, dealt with."...The nuance I didn't understand was that you can look for the positive and still be realistic about the negative. You can be proactive *and* patient. You can respect and be grateful for this life and still be doing what you can to make more good things.... I know it's not a solid ideology. And I'm not preaching so much as expressing my gratitude for the perspective that was handed down to me to put in my tool belt for coping with life. I stand on the shoulders of giants.