I have always found it interesting that in most things in life, there is a bright, positive side and there is the polar opposite, the dark, sometimes unknowing side. I like to think of the moon as an example…when you look at it at night, you always see the bright side. You can see the light (do you see a rabbit or a face?), you can see the craters of the moon and with a telescope, you can see the true beauty of our solar friend. Throughout the years, the bright side of the moon has been studied, explored and landed on but most of the dark side of the moon is undiscovered and unknown.

This is a good example of our lives. Most people see the "bright side of our lives…our smiles, sense of humor, our families, jobs, popularity, etc…but very few people ever see the dark corners of our lives.

The most important thing that we need to remember each day, is how we VIEW LIFE. Do we look at it in negative, unenthusiastic, and harmful ways or do we perceive our life with a positive, confident, and healthy fashion outlook?

Generally speaking, I am an optimist. I enjoy my life and all of the great things that come along with it. It is important to view the things and circumstances in our lives in a healthy and upbeat approach…it adds years to your life, gives you a better sense of well-being, and a better outlook of yourself and the people around you. When people look at a optimist, they see happiness, joy, and a "brighter" person.

A person that is a pessimist is just the opposite… miserable, depressing, and gloomy. Individuals with these kinds of attributes usually don't live a long, have all kinds of health related illnesses, and are just miserable to be around. They are equivalent to things that live in darkness and shadows.

The following are two short illustrations of the differences between an optimist and a pessimist. It is my hope that you are an individual that chooses to live and enjoy your life…on the "bright side of the moon."

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There is a story of two boys who were twins, one an incurable optimist, the other, a pessimist. The parents were worried about the extremes of behavior and attitude and finally took the boys in to see a psychologist. The psychologist observed them a while and then said that they could be easily helped.

He said that they had a room filled with all the toys a boy could want. They would put the pessimist in that room and allow him to enjoy life. They also had another room that they filled with horse manure. They put the optimist in that room. They observed both boys through one way mirrors. The pessimist continued to be a pessimist, stating that he had no one to play with. They went to look in on the optimist, and were astounded to find him digging through the manure. The psychologist ran into the room and asked what on earth the boy was doing. He replied that with all that manure, he was sure there had to be a pony in the room somewhere.

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I read about a schoolboy who brought home his report card. It was heavy with poor grades. "What have you to say about this?" asked his father. "One thing for sure," the boy replied, "Dad, you can be proud. You know I haven't been cheating!"

Morning Glory, August 12, 1993.