We’ve all heard the question before: “Is the glass half full or half empty?” Although we may all be looking at the same glass, we still have very different perceptions of it. Some will say the glass is half empty, while a selective few will disagree.
I remember the first time I was asked that question. I was in middle school (6th grade) in English class. After reading a story about a character who overcame an obstacle, my teacher asked the question: “did the character see the glass half full or half empty?” I had no idea what a glass had to do with someone struggling. Unless of course they were dehydrated and needed some water. She ended class then and told us to ponder on the question over the weekend and that we’d picked up where we left off the following class. That evening while my mom was cooking, I took a glass from our cabinet and put water in it. I tried my best to fill it at the half way mark from my perception. Then I walked over to my mom. “Hey mommy question, is the glass half full or half empty?” Without looking at the glass she said, “half full.” Being the child that I was, I felt like she was just being a parent and trying her best to get rid of me and my stupid questions. So, I poured some of the water out and asked again “how about now? Is it empty or full?” “The glass is half full and will always be half full sweetheart” she answered. Again, never looking at the glass. “Why not half empty?” I asked.
At that she stopped what she was doing and looked my direction. “Let me ask you a question sweetie. What does the glass represent?” I thought it was silly for her to ask, but I answered anyway. “An object you use to drink from.” The woman laughed for nearly ten minutes straight. By then I was annoyed, but I couldn’t show it. Certain things just aren’t expressed in Caribbean homes. “So, what does it represent?” I asked as calmly as possible.
Then she got serious. “If you remember anything at all, remember what I’m about to tell you,” she started, “The glass society speaks of represents life. And the water in the glass is the experiences you go through. We may not all go through the same experiences but we all have a choice to either let those experiences impact us negatively by halting our growth or positively by empowering us with strength. Now whether you see the glass full or empty just determines how you’ve let your experiences shape you. For me, the glass will always be half full.”
I think I cried that day. Not in front of my mom though because she would have been like: “what are you crying for child? Cause I can give you a reason to cry?” Caribbean’s and emotions. sheeeesh.
So now, especially while in college, it may look like life is giving you a beating to rival anything you’ve seen on WorldStar, just remember that you decide how you come out of that fight.
So, here I ask you to look at your life and ask yourself the question ‘How full is your glass.’ We are all going through the struggle, don’t let the struggle go through you and mess you up for the remainder of your life.
PHOTO FROM: https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=JyZlbslT&id=BF271B…