STILL ALIVE!!

 DID YOU KNOW THAT 'POLLYANNA IS A GENDER NEUTRAL TERM?

One of my favorite childhood movies ‘Pollyanna’ came on the Hallmark Channel on a recent Saturday and I ended up watching both showings for the day. I felt like I was six year-old again, fascinated at the ‘story within the story that lay within another story’.  There are several themes at work in the film, but it is the main story of the title character, her enthusiastically positive outlook on life is what I took away from the movie.  Surprisingly, I have never read any of the books written about the character.  My exposure to ‘Pollyanna’ has been limited to the movie starring the adorable Haley Mills. 

For years and years I would tell people that I had a ‘Pollyanna-ish’ attitude towards life.  I also think that as a child I understood that ‘to be a Pollyanna’, that the name was being used as a slander but as often is the case, I would take the idealism of ‘the glad game’ and put it to use. This is not to say that I never have a moment of cynicism, because in the film Pollyanna had her ‘moments’, and I will always be my own worst critic.  But when it counts the most I believe I am a positive cat, and I will always believe that of myself and no one can convince me otherwise. 

She would explain why a person should have a different attitude for reasons specific to them and their condition.  The only time she would tell people ‘why’, she gave them a personal example, a testimony, of why and what the different perspective did for her.  Never did she press her view a superior to anyone’s approach to their situation but she left it to them to work things out and discover their own way with a new perspective.

LIVE THROUGH THIS

As far as looking for aid or relief, Pollyanna never did any such thing.  She was an orphan of missionaries, so I do not understand how her name came to define someone who is blindly optimistic.  She had to have seen all kinds of dark situations… she was living through one herself, being left without a parent and sent to an Aunt she knew only through stories, to a place she had never laid eyes on.  She bore her burden with a smile, never complaining or confiding in anyone.

That brings me to where I am at in my life at this time.  I am struggling in a good way, in a good place.  Omaha has its share of characters.  A lot of them were on the bus the other day, but beneath the surface, there is a quiet dignity and mannered way of being that is present and for me, unmistakable.  I still operate with a ‘guard your grill, knuckle up’ directive, but I do understand that this town does not have the same kind of ‘meanness’ of other ‘towns that I’ve jogged ‘round’. 

On my ‘day off’ during the week, I found my way to the mall.  Nebraska saw me out and gave me a text… I was unaware of her as I was on my way home.  As I made my way to the bus stop, four high school age girls were giggling and posing in this contraption that is supposed to simulate a hurricane.  I went over and asked if I could pay for their ‘ride’.  I wanted to see what would happen and I also wanted to… I don’t know, do something nice for someone.  It was only $2 and the girls were very grateful.  Made me think about KT and Lexxie, and I hope that someone can be a little thoughtful just because that is who they are, no strings to it.

Went to school and getting started on classes… I think I need to pick something that I want to be when I grow up and go for that.  Physical therapy has sounded good to me, so I will tell the disability advisor that is the direction I want to head off into.  And why I don’t see a relationship on any of the paths I aim to take…