Optimist

I love my public library. :) Right now I've got about 12 different books on request - well, it's actually 10 now because today I picked up two of them.

One of them is Michael J. Fox's latest. Lucky Man was his first book. Not exactly a memoir because he doesn't focus on his past, but on his present. The first book was an exploration of how his Parkinson's Disease was affecting his life.

Always Looking Up is more about his attitude toward Parkinson's, and, well, Life.

The fact that my request came through today was a little bit of serendipity because tonight Fox's documentary aired on tv. So, while I haven't actually read the book yet, I got a taste, a little preview of what is going to be in it.

I suppose that in my own way I, too, am an optimist. You kind of have to be in order to try to make your living in the arts. I'm always digging through the clouds to find the silver linings, so I suppose that alone would qualify me as an optimist. :)

During the hour long program, one of the people Fox interviewed was Lance Armstrong. Armstrong talked about how his cancer affected the quality of his life. That if he hadn't had the cancer, he likely would not have managed to reach the heights he achieved in the ultra competitive world of bicycle racing.

Fox has also talked about the 'gift of Parkinson's'. He talked about life being a process, and that just because you haven't achieved your goal - yet - that wasn't the point. The point was the striving. And the hope that you will do 'the next right thing'. Not do the next thing 'right', but to try to do 'the next right thing'.

I admire so much people who can look at the quality of their life, see the gifts adversity has brought and go on to live full and happy lives. Those people who get served lemons and go ahead to make lemonade. :D