Give me a little perspective...

What is life and how life is lived differs from each person according to their perspectives. One person would view life as a journey; One would view it as torture; One would view it as a test.

Depending on the perspective, life could be good, bad, fun, boring, long, or short. A newly-married couple sees only the brightest future ahead of them. A long-time divorcee sees a future fraught with hopelessness and depression. A child sees only tomorrow. An old man looks back at yesterday.

So who has the right perspective in life?

I have always looked at my life as a good one. The future is always bright. There are so many things that we can do tomorrow, so many things that we can look forward to. And once tomorrow comes, we do those things, which makes them things we can proudly look back on. It's all one big circle. We are who we are on things that we have done, things we are doing, and things we plan on doing. So why look forward with despair and pessimism?

'Wake up! The world isn't as great or easy as you think it is.'

Why? Why can't I look ahead with optimism and carefree joy? It's not as if the world is in much danger. It's not like the Apocalypse is coming anytime soon.

'The world has so many things that are bad that you just don't know about.'

I know there are many things I don't know. I know that I haven't suffered at all (relatively). I am aware that caring about these things seems to be important. Unfortunately, I am not so great as to be able to see the other side at all times. I do my best, tolerating and empathizing with others. Rich people don't see how the poor suffer. Self-centered customers don't know what it's like on the other side of the kitchen/shop. Bad drivers just don't realize how they drive.

All because they don't see themselves from a third person perspective.

Looking at the world, you can see the sadness, the cruelty, the torture, the suffering. But then, why focus on that all the time? Look at yourself: See the simple joys in your life. See the smiles on your friends faces. Feel their joy, and embrace it as your own.

I think wearing rose-tinted glasses and seeing the good is better than putting yourself down with stark reality.