The Glad Game

When I was younger, Disney movies were not like they are today. I'm not saying they were better, just more wholesome perhaps. I remember watching movies like "Old Yeller", "The Parent Trap", "Mary Poppins", and one of my all time favorites "Pollyanna". In the movie, Pollyanna is the main character and she is a orphan type who goes around softening some really hardened people. In the movie, Pollyanna plays a game called The Glad Game. The goal of the game is to find something to be glad about no matter how bad your life is at the moment. She believes there is always something to be glad about. Turns out, she was on to something.

I play my own version of that game and have for years. Everytime I get down I look around me and try to find things I am grateful for and I'm usually overwhelmed by how blessed I am. I played it today on my way to work so I will share it with you.

Today I was glad I had a car to get me to and from work. I was glad I had a pike pass so I didn't have to stop and pay the toll since I was late. When I passed the Cancer Treatment Center of America I was so glad that I don't know anyone who needs their services at the moment. Then I passed TCC and was so grateful that I finished college with no student loan debt thanks to my wonderful parents. I drove passed Target and I was grateful that I don't work there during the Christmas season. I drove by some apartments and I was so glad that I am able to own a beautiful home. I saw advertisements on billboards for the cyber knife and I was glad that with all my health problems, needing a cyber knife is not included in that. I was glad I was not that Mitsubishi that had a blow out on the BA expressway. Today was court day for my job so when I got to court I was so glad that I was there for business reasons and not because someone needed to intervene on behalf of my child. I was glad that the only addiction problem I've ever had to deal with is my addiction to Dr. Pepper and chapstick. I was glad that at the end of the day I have an amazing kid that I get to go home and squeeze and a husband who I truly believe was the man who God made for me. I could keep going but I think you get the point and I don't want to bore you.

Sometimes it's really easy to get focused on all the crappy parts of life. But I also truly believe that it can be just as easy to focus on things you're glad about. It's a really easy game and I strongly encourage each of you to play it. It really does put things in perspective and you quickly realize that even though bad things happen in life, there is always something to be glad about.