“I am only one, but still I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”

Edward Everett Hale

Friday, 13 January 2023

Looking on the Bright Side

 Friedrich Löchner was a 19th century Lutheran minister, first in Germany, then in the US. He wrote many hymns and also this: "A year is long - and making every day an unrepentent celebration is the highest art of living."


I'm not sure what I think about this sentiment. As a natural optimist, I would embrace it - I journal about the things I am grateful for each night, for example. Yet I cannot help thinking that it is simply not possible. Every day is not a cause for "unrepentent celebration", not for me, not for anyone. Everyone has some trials, some sorrow in their lives. I guess that finding something to celebrate in each day is a worthy goal, and it is a better way to live than finding things to be gloomy about instead. I am far more of a Tigger than an Eeyore, and tend to look on the bright side of life. I have blogged about this here.

But still. Although I personally may be able to celebrate something good each day, I am well aware that for many people, this is not the case. I only have to read or listen to the news to see that all is far from well in the world. 

Perhaps it would be best for me (for all of us who have something to celebrate each day) to spend at least part of each day trying to make the lives of others less fortunate than ourselves better. And then celebrate that. 



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