The Jungle Book review

I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting much of this new remake of a classic cartoon.  I grew up on the cartoon Jungle Book, and I don’t think I liked it too terribly much.  I remember Kaa had always freaked me out but I honestly don't remember much about it.

So when I went to see Jungle Book in theaters today, it was kinda only because it was a new Disney movie.  You go see the new Disney movie, that’s just how it works. 


I was not prepared for how absolutely fantabulous this movie was going to be.


On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this film a 15!  It was AMAZING!!  And I knew that from the very first minute of the movie.  Usually you can’t say “Yup, this is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time” within the first two minutes, right?  Well not here. 

This was honestly one of the best Disney movies I’ve ever seen.  Besides the new Cinderella, that is.

So let’s talk about The Jungle Book, shall we?



(Spoilers ahead)

Pros: 

• It was flat-out gorgeous.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen such realistic CGI in a movie…ever!  The jungle and scenery was breathtaking, and the animals looked so real it was hard to remember that Mowgli was the only real actor in this movie! 

• Mowgli was fantabulous!  That kid was so adorable and perfect for the part, I can’t even.  And what’s more, he looked like the cartoon Mowgli!!  But in this version, he was a lot more lovable and easier to connect with.

look how cute this kid is

• The cast was amazing.  Sir Ben Kinglsey was perfect for Bagheera, absolutely perfect.  And Bill Murray was a fantastic Baloo!  This Baloo and Bagheera were more complex than their cartoon counterparts, which I liked. 
• The story was different….in the best way possible!  I loved the changes they made to this version, like the ending with Mowgli staying in the jungle, and the slight changes that made it unexpected and new.  It wasn’t like watching a remake of the old Jungle Book, this was a completely different story with the same main plotlines. 

• Sher Khan was a real baddie.  In the cartoon, he was more like a Scar from The Lion King.  He was an elegant, cultured, regal tiger.  In this version, he was a rough, tough, cruel tyrant who wanted to pick a fight and had a thirst for power and blood.  This was no Disney cartoon villain.  This Sher Khan was an ugly, evil brute who was truly scary. 

• The soundtrack was beautiful.  And what’s more, it was basically a twist on the soundtrack from the cartoon!  All the familiar themes were there and improved upon, and they brought a wave of nostalgia over me lol. 

Cons: 

• They included the songs “Bare Necessities” and “I Wanna Be Like You”, and I didn’t like that.  They just didn’t FIT.  This was a dramatic, intense movie, and those old cartoon songs, as endearing as they may be, just had no place in it.

• The voice for Kaa was Scarlett Johansson.  Why do I have a problem with this?  I couldn’t take Kaa seriously.   I mean, the snake was freaking Black Widow!  She was huge, she was intimidating, she was scary, but her voice was just…I kept connecting it to the actress and her other roles in film, so it really put me off. 

• Some of it wasn’t quiiiite realistic, but it was the kind of things that movies stretch for the sake of drama.  Like, a small boy is NOT faster than a full grown tiger or a gigantic orangutan.  There were a lot of just escaping in the brink of time incidents, but that didn’t really bother me.  The fact that Kaa and Baloo and King Louie were almost ridiculously enormous sort of bothered me, but not too much so.  It is a movie, after all.  They can do stuff like that.

And that was all I could find wrong, and that was just nitpicking.  I loved it.  This movie really tugged at my feels and I loved the characters and Mowgli and the wolves and oh my word it was beautiful and intense and in my opinion, one of the best Disney movies I’ve ever seen. 

I’m going to be raving about this for a long time now.  If you haven’t seen it, you really need to.  Now I want to go rewatch the cartoon version because I can’t remember it very well. 


Also, I just found out that they're making a sequel, so that would explain why it ended the way it did.  I guess they're sticking more to the book, in which case, I believe Sher Khan may pull a Sherlock on us and not be dead after all...but that's just my speculation.

I love how Disney is going back and remaking the classic cartoon films, that’s just ingenious!  And they’re doing it so marvelously well, too!  Upcoming Disney live action remakes: Pete’s Dragon and Beauty and the Beast.  Oh my word yas.  CAN'T WAIT FOR BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.  Especially after seeing the cast list…oh my word.

Also, I’m looking forward to this movie:  Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.




ALHGSDLKGH EDDIE IS A WIZARD

I haven’t seen any of the Harry Potter movies and I’ve only read the first book so far because I’m a sheltered little person, but I want to see and read them because of this movie. 

Okay, maybe it’s just because Eddie Gorgeous Redmayne is playing the main character and already just from the trailers he is an adorable puppy and HE’S GINGER AHHHHHH.  Shh.  Don’t judge me.




AWWWWW.

DOESN’T THIS LOOK AMAZING?????  Magic, the 1920’s, fantastical beasts, Eddie Redmayne….how can you get any better? 

This trailer came on before The Jungle Book and I was fangirling and flailing and squeaking in the theater and trying to be quiet about it but failing miserably. 

Anyway.  Yas.  I’m looking forward to this very much so. 

Go watch the Jungle Book.  Shoo. 

And if you have seen it, what did you think of it? 

I'm tired

I'm tired.  Really, really tired.  Being tired has pretty much taken over my personality, so I can't really complain though.  And it's only 11:00 am. 

literally me every day of my life

No wait.  I don't need sleep.  Well yes I do but what I really need is COFFEE.

Yeah this is more like me

I have a weird relationship with coffee.  I love it, but I hate it.  I need to stop drinking it for many reasons.  Reason #45:  It makes me jittery and shaky and disconnected.  Reason #76:  It really doesn't help me anymore as it really doesn't kick in for about 2 hours and then I'm a jittery mess.  Number #32:  It turns me into a monster.  Number #98:  I can't play the piano well on coffee.  I can play sonatinas and fast pieces greeaaattt, but that's basically it. 


BUT...I....CAN'T...STOP...DRINKING...IT. 


Coffee is one of my drugs.  I'm addicted to it.  It's my happy place drink. 


People be like:

And I'm just like:

So, I drew a new thing!!  I'm very proud of it, as I haven't done a black and white sketchy thing in a looong time. 

It's Marius and Cosette from Les Miserables.  THEY ARE SUCH A CUTE COUPLE!  I SHIP THEM TO THE ENDS OF THE UNIVERSE AND BACK. 


Also that's Eddie Redmayne so nuff said. 


I don't draw much.  I have lots of friends who are freaky amazing drawers and they are constantly sketching and creating these amazing sketches that I don't even understand how they do it but I...I don't sketch. 


*collective gasp*


Yes, I don't sketch.  I have an odd drawing life.  I only sit down to draw a big portrait thing that I need to look at a reference pic for, and then when that's done, it's drained my drawing motivation so I have to wait about a month or two for it to come back.  Then I'll draw another one, and it goes on and on and on.  In other words: I'm lucky if I draw something more than once a month. 


Regarding writing...I'm on a hiatus.  (Every time I hear/say "hiatus" I immediately think of Sherlock and the panic that ensued for that hiatus it went on after Riechenbach.  *shudder*  Good times, good times.)


Call it a case of Writer's Block, or whatever, but I can't write and it's killing me.  My story is currently stranded in the doldrums, I dunno how long it will be stuck in there.  I just open my document and stare at it because I got nothin'.

this is literally me when I try to write

I got to a part in the story where there are lots of political meetings and press conferences and I HAVEN'T THE FAINTEST IDEA HOW THOSE WORK OR HOW TO WRITE ONE ETC ETC ETC so I'm hiding under the table where the book can't see me and hoping something will happen and get me out of this mess. 


Also, my characters aren't behaving.  And they have mood swings and personality shifts like you wouldn't believe.  I want to smack them. 

Yes, yes it is

So....yas.  Also, my piano teacher is making me compose a piece for the upcoming Guild Auditions (woop, woop!) and since I had only composed 56 seconds originally, she then tells me that for my level, I HAVE TO PRESENT A COMPOSITION THAT IS 3 MINUTES LONG, so now I have to compose 2 minutes of a B section and reprising A section before Monday.  So far, I've only come up with another 10 seconds of motif.  *dying groan*


Yes, I have been panicking all week.  And eating blueberry muffins to help with inspiration (they really work) and banging my head on the piano keys.  My inspiration in general must be on vacation or something. 


(Sorry for the rant post hehe.)


Well, gotta run.  I have piano stuff to compose and lose my mind over.


Does your inspiration ever decide to hit the road and abandon you? 

BIG NEWS BIG NEWS BIG NEWS

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

*crashes through your window* 

*does victory howl*

*proceeds to do a victory dance on your now glass-covered carpet*

*leans in close*

*stage whisper*

I DROVE A CAR TODAAAYYYYY.

Guys.  GUYS.  This was HUGE for me!  I’ve literally only driven twice in my life, both in parking lots, and then I just got my permit like two days ago so my father stops the car on our way back from my grandparents’ house, and tells me, “You want to drive?”

My response was two seconds of silence and bugged out eyes, then in a little, shocked voice, “What, on the highway??”

“Yeah.”

Inwardly having a heart attack and envisioning myself being the cause of a huge wreck out on the road.  Ouch.

“Are you sure?”  Which translated to, FATHER THIS IS MY LIFE AT STAKE HULLO WHY ARE YOU TRUSTING ME TO DRIVE YOUR CAR ON THE FREAKING HIGHWAY. 

“Yeah!  It’ll be fine, come on.” 

So I just basically told myself:

And I did.  I drove the car among other cars, with literally no knowledge of how to do anything other than use the gas pedal and brake, and survived.  I WENT 40 MPH.  I DID TURNS AND INTERSECTIONS AND STOP LIGHTS.  I DIDN’T HIT ANY CARS.  15 WHOLE MINUTES IN TRAFFIC AND FREAKING OUT OVER NOT SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES AT THE STOP SIGNS.  HALLELUIA!! 


And for the record, I didn't end up driving on the highway after all.....but they were big trafficy roads so.



I almost killed my brother and the van and the neighbor’s car pulling into the driveway though.  Oh well.

I’m still shaking, guys.  (Not over almost killing my brother, but driving 40 mph.)

I’m still suspicious that it was illegal, but I have a permit so my dear papa assures me it was not. 

Well, I had a nice big Marvel vs DC post planned for today, but this seemed more important.  I will post that one tomorrow! 

LE MOI DROVE A CAR AND DIDN’T KILL ANYONE (OR HERSELF).  I mean, come on. 

I don’t know why I’m making such a big deal out of this . . . I mean, it’s just driving a car, right? 

Whatever.  Things like this excite me for months. 

Peace out, minions. 

Hear me out, peoples

There is so much I want to talk about on this blog . . . SO MANY IDEAS.  AHHHH.  TOO MANY. 

So I was listening to some really good talks by Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jason Evert, Fr. Robert Barron, Patrick Madrid, etc., and they really hit me hard.  First of all, THOSE PEOPLE ARE AMAZING CHRISTIANS AND SPEAKERS.  Like, wow.  After listening to those talks I wanna go out and be a missionary and a martyr and serve Jesus and just praise the Lord to the heavens!!!  (You ever feel like that?)


Now, I'm a traditional, passionate Catholic.  But I'm not shoving my Faith onto you, and I'm not trying to convert you or whatever, so please don't think that.  I'm just writing down the thoughts I have about God, whatever I feel inspired to say at the moment.  That's it. 


Here, have an Archbishop Fulton Sheen quote.  Because that man was beyond amazing.  He was the epitome of amazing.  HE WAS AMAZINGNESS. 

ISN'T THAT JUST BEAUTIFUL??  So true for today's culture...

Recently, there's been something I just began to notice about my life. 


I've been a horrible Catholic.  I've been a despicable Christian, and thick-headed, stubborn, judgmental, and immensely selfish person.  A terrible jellyfish, I tell you.  (I still am.  I'm working on it, but I am still a terrible jellyfish, my peoples. *hangs head*)


I was raised a cradle Catholic.  I was brought up in a traditional Catholic atmosphere, and went through a huge "on fire for the Faith" phase that lasted until I was about 14 years old.  Then . . . something happened.  I stopped caring.  I became lukewarm.  I could care less about my Faith, or going to Mass, or praying, and I most certainly didn't have a personal relationship with God. 


Why?  Why did I go from being an almost blindly passionate Catholic to a lukewarm "meh" Catholic who just didn't care?  (Seriously I went through that phase.  It was terrible.) 


It was because I didn't know my Faith. 


I didn't know God, and God didn't know me. 


That's one of the traps cradle Catholics can fall into so easily.  We believe our Faith because "our parents taught it to us" or "that's how we were raised".  Then when we get old enough to start really thinking about it, we fall away because we really don't know why we're Catholic or why we believe this stuff.  Not everyone, of course, but for me . . . *raises hand sheepishly*  Guilty. 


I didn't actually even begin to know God until I was like, 17.  (So yeah, last year.  Pathetic, really.)  I got into a debate with some Protestants and Atheists and suddenly found myself in an uncomfortable situation.  I didn't freaking know how to defend my Faith.  These kids were posing questions on me that I couldn't even answer.  It was embarrassing.  So I began to research.


And I found so much glorious information, I just couldn't get enough of it!  I kept on studying and researching and getting in contact with apologists and my school began to suffer because I was spending all my time researching, haha! 


I was once again on fire for my Faith.  God had lit the flame again, and it grew and grew. 


Too many Catholics have fallen into the same trap I did.  They just don't know their Faith.  So they lose it. 


But once you actually start understanding it, once you let God speak to you and actually LISTEN to him, it all starts to slowly make sense. 


I think that was my problem.  I was searching for God, but it was sort of a half-hearted attempt.  I wasn't trying hard enough.  I wasn't giving enough.  I was still holding a part of me back, not willing to give God my whole self.  I didn't want to sacrifice myself. 


It was hard, learning to listen and talk to God, it was even harder building a relationship with him, but every time, it got easier and easier.  Prayer became easier, and I wanted to pray more often.


"Here I am, " God said.  "I've been waiting for you.  Talk to me.  Listen.  Open your heart."


Even after that, I fell again and again, but he was always there, always helping me back up and reprimanding me when I did wrong.  I'm nowhere near even half perfect, but I'm trying.


I think that's something that definitely changed once I let God into my life.  Once you let God start talking to you, he won't stop.  There is almost a kind of responsibility that comes with it; a new meaning to life, new freedom and new joy. 


I never understood those friends of mine who were so rooted and in love with their Faith.  I thought they were "too Catholic" Ick.  But now I get that.  I feel that way now.  It's like my eyes were actually opened for the first time. 


Now I want to be a missionary,  an apologist, and a martyr, and it's crazy, cause once you let God into your life, your life is changed forever.  There's no going back. 


But I wouldn't go back for the world. 


Dying to self isn't such a terrible thing after all.  Trusting whole-heartedly in God is much easier than I expected. 


It's only when we truly die to ourselves that we can be free in God.


Did I mention I really really love Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen?  Back in the 50's, the most popular show on TV was an archbishop talking and writing on a blackboard.  That was it.  And watching it, you can see why!  I wish they would put these back on TV lol.  THESE AREN'T JUST FOR CATHOLICS, PEOPLES. 

Well there's my testimony post for the day.  I'm sorry if you miss the fun fandom gif-y ones, but I promise I will post more of those soon. :) 

Well, peace out, minions.  I'm off to watch some Doctor Who.  *shuffles away*




What did you think of this post?  Do you like these spiritual-based ones or no?  What kind of posts would you like to see more of in the future?

Books are life

Salut, mes amies!

Life is good, school is a beast, and books are plentiful.  This is mah life, peoples.

One thing you should know about me: I am a bookworm with an insatiable appetite for books. 

BOOKS ARE LIFE.  Books are portals to different worlds, they take you out of the boring, ugly reality and transport you to a new, exciting universe where you see out of other peoples’ eyes and live their lives and learn new things and live new lives. 

I love books with the fiery passion of a dragon.  (I also hoard books like a dragon, but that’s a story for another day)

I’ve read so many books in the past couple of years that my school has suffered quite greatly, I’m afraid.  Then I neglected my required reading list for YA Fiction and so I have a huge TBR list of classical lit to catch up on.  Hurrah!  Books! 

People say that reading lighter bookish "fluff" like YA Fiction makes your brain lax and then it'll be harder to comprehend higher lit like Dante and Dickens, and I have to agree to a certain point. 

If you read nothing but YA, it will be harder to get into the more gritty stuff.  I’m saying this from personal experience.  (I’m still too scared to pick up Homer.  I just recently was brave enough to attempt Dante, okay, hehe)  But then again I like lots of different genres, so that doesn’t really happen much now.  I love classical lit!  I’m in love with Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, Alexander Dumas, and C. S. Lewis.  I want to marry them.  If I could time travel, I would go back in time so I could get their autographs and possibly kidnap them to write books for me forever. 

One day I’ll be reading Maggie Stiefvater, then the next it’s Tenessee Williams.  My reading tastes have mood swings, I guess.

So yeah!  Let’s talk about books!  (BOOKS!!!!)

What I’m currently reading:

1) Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis

Haunted by the myth of Cupid and Psyche throughout his life, C.S. Lewis wrote this, his last, extraordinary novel, to retell their story through the gaze of Psyche’s sister, Orual. Disfigured and embittered, Orual loves her younger sister to a fault and suffers deeply when she is sent away to Cupid, the God of the Mountain. Psyche is forbidden to look upon the god’s face, but is persuaded by her sister to do so; she is banished for her betrayal. Orual is left alone to grow in power but never in love, to wonder at the silence of the gods. Only at the end of her life, in visions of her lost beloved sister, will she hear an answer.




Oh me word.  This book is fantabulous!  I just finished it and I honestly don’t have enough words to praise this.  (So instead I just sit there and hug it and flail over it like an excited chipmunk)  I’ve always loved Greek myths, heck, I was practically raised on the stuff.  The myth of Cupid and Psyche was one of my favorites.  And this retelling goes far beyond my expectations, lemme tell you!  It’s like Narnia for adults.  It combines the amazing allegorical aspects of his theological works and the magic of Narnia into one, huge, delicious myth.  If you haven’t read it, GO READ IT.  NOW.  GO DO IT.  SHOO.  STOP READING TIHIS BLOG AND GO READ IT. 

2)  The Divine Comedy by Dante

Dante Alighieri's poetic masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, is a moving human drama, an unforgettable visionary journey through the infinite torment of Hell, up the arduous slopes of Purgatory, and on to the glorious realm of Paradise—the sphere of universal harmony and eternal salvation.




I was honesty quite intimidated by this poem.  I never really liked reading poetry, and after having bad experiences with The Ballad of the White Horse and The Song of Roland (I’m sorry, I just couldn’t get into those), I was afraid this poem would be the same way.  BUT IT WASN’T!  I just finished the first part, “Inferno”, and have moved on to “Purgatory”, and it’s a fascinating, interesting journey indeed.  How a medieval poet managed to write a work that was easier to read than Chesterton, I don’t know.  Maybe I just don’t like Chesterton.  But it was amazing!  Dante is brilliant.  And I love brilliant writers, don’t you?





3)  Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”  So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield. Can Elizabeth vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you’d actually want to read.


I don’t like zombies, I’m just going to say that right there.  I just don’t get them.  And to be honest, I find Jane Austen extremely hard to read.  I had to watch the BBC miniseries while reading Pride and Prejudice to understand what was going on.  But this has me cracking up so hard . . . it’s basically Pride and Prejudice, slightly rewritten to incorporate zombies.  I don’t even know anymore.  This is possibly the most ingenious thing I’ve heard of in fifty three years.  (And it’s illustrated, too!)  It's an amazing, hilarious book.




4)  A Philadelphia Catholic in King James’ Court by Martin de Porres Kennedy

After the tragic death of his father, Michael O'Shea travels from his native Philadelphia to rural Kentucky for the summer. In this land of tobacco farming, bluegrass music, and devout fundamentalist Christianity, he is compelled to explain and justify the Catholic faith. His only defense... the Bible. 


This . . . this here was a fantastic book.  I’m not crazy about the actual story; personally, I didn’t like the story part and Mr. Kennedy isn’t the best writer I’ve ever read, but his theology and apologetics are spot.  on.  I love apologetics, I’m very passionate about defending and spreading the Faith and I want to be a missionary when I graduate, so this was very helpful regarding apologetics.  I don’t think I’ve ever read a book this amazing about defending the Faith.  




5)  Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price--and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...A convict with a thirst for revenge.  A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.  A runaway with a privileged past.  A spy known as the Wraith.  A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.  A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction―if they don't kill each other first. 


I’ve heard a lot of amazing praise for this book, so I thought, “Why not?”  I haven’t gotten very far, but it’s really good.  Russia isn’t really my thing, (France though . . .) but it’s pretty good so far.  Unfortunately, my taste for Fantasy has died somewhat, so I’m not enjoying it as much as I normally would.


6)  The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier by Thad Carhart

Walking his two young children to school every morning, Thad Carhart passes an unassuming little storefront in his Paris neighborhood. Intrigued by its simple sign — Desforges Pianos — he enters, only to have his way barred by the shop's imperious owner. 
Unable to stifle his curiosity, he finally lands the proper introduction, and a world previously hidden is brought into view. Luc, the atelier's master, proves an indispensable guide to the history and art of the piano. Intertwined with the story of a musical friendship are reflections on how pianos work, their glorious history, and stories of the people who care for them, from amateur pianists to the craftsmen who make the mechanism sing. The Piano Shop on the Left Bank is at once a beguiling portrait of a Paris not found on any map and a tender account of the awakening of a lost childhood passion. 


I have a love affair with the piano.  Piano is my passion, and it allows me to convey and feel emotions that words can’t reach.  So when I chanced upon this little book in my library bookshop, I pounced on it.  A book about France and pianos?  HEAVEN.  J’AIME LA LIVRE!!  This book contains so many of the feelings one has during a piano love affair, that it’s very close to my heart now.  FRANCE.  PIANO.  INSTANT LOVE! 

 

Moi with this book

Well, those are the books I’m reading right now.  Have you read any of these books?  Did you like them?  What did you think of them?

Until next time, my darlings!  Stay amazing! 

To be an Optimist

Optimist: someone who always sees the bright side of any situation, no matter how impossible it may seem. 


Life is hard, guys.  Life is messy, chaotic, and dangerous.  It's full of insecurities, worries, stress, and tears.  Back when I was younger and more innocent, I used to think the world was a beautiful, wonderful, magical place.  But then I saw all the bad things in the world.  All the pain and death and terrible things. 


Why would God tell us to be glad and be joyful in such a place as this? 


If you look at the world the way it is, you can't. 


I always was (and still am) confused by all those people around me who had problems.  Whose lives were miserable.  People who were always sad and upset and worrying about things.  I never understood why they felt like that! 


Why would you waste time worrying over things?  Why would you be sad when everything is really okay?


Why is it that I always seem to be the one person who didn't have any problems, who was always happy-go-lucky, who had a bright future to look forward to?  Everyone else didn't seem that way. 


Then I figured it out.


I am an optimist.  I see the world through eyes that still see magic.  I don't let bad things get me down. 

Don't get me wrong.  Being an optimist doesn't mean I discard reality because I don't like what I see.  It just means when life gets rough, instead of hiding from the thunder I look for the silver lining on the clouds. 


Always look for that silver lining.  Because it will always be there.  Always. 


Do you know why? 


Because God is there.  He is the one giving us that silver lining.  When things get rough, He doesn't abandon us.  He gives us things to be happy about, if we only want to look for those things.


That's all about what being optimistic means.


It means trusting God.  Trusting that something good will come of it, that something better is on the horizon. 

I love being happy.  Who doesn't, right?  Being happy is the way God wants us to be.  That's why He made us and why He wants us to be with Him in Heaven someday.  To be happy forever.


But even optimists sometimes have those days when everything just seems impossible and you're depressed and alone and sad. 


Sometimes it's hard to climb out of those Pits of Depression and Sadness.  Sometimes we just want to stay there and wallow in it.  Sadness is romantic.  Sadness is much more romantic than happiness.  There's something deep about it, something dark and sensual and passionate about it.  Everyone nowadays seem to be sad, and they all have problems and life issues and it's all so glamorous.  All the great poets and painters and composers and people like that had problems and sad lives. 


So why not be like them and live a romantically sad life?


But that's a lie. 


There is nothing good about sadness.  It drags us down.  It's nothing more than an absence of joy.  Without joy, there can be nothing but sadness. 


And without joy, we cannot find God. 


As a writer and a hopeless romantic, I can't help but be attracted to lingering in sadness.  It's good for writing experience.  (And in thinking that, I just found a silver lining.  A slight one, but still a silver lining.)


Nothing from God is sad.  Only the Devil.  Sadness comes from a lack of God, and from sin.  If you truly love and follow the word of God, you will never be sad.  How could you be sad when you have God leading you?


An optimist is a person who has joy.  An optimist is a person who won't let the petty troubles around them drag them down. 


An optimist is a person who has found God.

I am an optimist.  I live life to it's fullest.  I love, laugh, and smile.  I don't let trouble get me down.  When sadness comes my way, I keep calm and carry on.  I can be practical and logical while at the same time being positive and joyful.  I'm not afraid to ask God to lift me up and give me strength.  It's who I am.


It's who God made me to be. 


Don't ever forget that.  Don't ever forget that you are loved, and that you were meant for something big.  You are a child of God!  Lift yourself out of the mud and look for the stars! 


Not everyone is an optimist, I know that.  Not everyone find it as easy to be happy regardless of everything around them.  I'm not saying you should be an optimist, but I'll be there for you if you ever need someone to chase your troubles away, and I'll have your back. 

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" - Winston Churchill


Be happy and give thanks!  God loves you.