The man who is an optimist may be laboring under a delusion, but
certain it is that he is happy while under the delusion.
Every man should have ideals. He should see the beauty and good in
things. He may not accomplish his ideals, but the anticipation and
working out of them is a mighty pleasant vocation.
The pessimist is always unhappy, and when no definite thing is before
him to worry about, the very fact that there is nothing to worry about
makes him unhappy.
The pessimist says "Business is not half as good as it would be if it
was twice as good as it is." The optimist says "Business is twice as
good as it would be if it was only half as good as it is."
Grizzly Pete, of Frozen Dog, Idaho, is an optimist, and Webb Grubb, of
the same town, is a pessimist. A short time ago they had a big rain
storm in Frozen Dog. Webb Grubb kicked about the rain. Grizzly Pete,
all wreathed in smiles, said "Rain is a mighty good thing to lay the
dust." A few days later the sun came out oppressively warm. Webb Grubb
kicked about the warm weather. Grizzly Pete, again all smiles, said
"Hot weather and sunshine are mighty good things to dry the mud."
The pessimist goes about with a dark lantern peering into
out-of-the-way places, ever looking for meanness and things to find
fault about.
The optimist goes about in the bright sunlight looking for the
beautiful things, and sees more things by the aid of the great sunshine
than the pessimist can find with his little dark lantern.
The optimist rises in the morning with gladness in his heart, sunshine
in his face and smiles upon his lips. The mere privilege of living and
enjoying nature is a priceless satisfaction to him. He gets good out of
life every moment he lives. He is a man to be envied, if envy is ever
allowable.
The pessimist warps his mind and his physique, and his influence on
others is decidedly bad.
The optimist raises the average of the world by his presence, the
pessimist lowers the average.
The optimist is in the majority, however, and the world is growing
better.
Learn to see beauty in the small things. Study nature. Watch the
processes of plant life and animal life. Surround yourself with helpful
influences; books, music, friends.
There is no investment a man can make that yields such unbounded
returns as optimism.
Optimism cannot be bought with money. It is as free as the air we
breathe. That is why poor people generally are optimists.