What would you think if you were holding a beautiful red rose in your hand? Would you look at the pretty flower, feel the soft petals, and smell the wonderful scent, or would you look at the spiky thorns and think how much they could hurt you?

Negativity has been a big issue for me. Over the years in FA, I have learned that it’s so very easy to be negative and that it comes rather naturally to me.

For instance: I am in the middle of organizing a birthday party for our 12-year-old son. I thought it would be a great idea for the kids to go to the movies. I was uncertain about whether this would work out, but I did some research and found a movie that the boys would find very “cool.” But what did I do and think? Rather than being happy about the outcome and the prospect that they would have a super party, I started worrying about how much the whole thing would cost. Oh dear! But God helped me to refocus, to stop worrying about the money, and to become truly grateful that things would work out.

Being negative is such hard work. I really do want to stop, but how? For me, gratitude is the answer. I am accepting that cutting out the negativity is a daily task for me, just like brushing my teeth, taking quiet time, making phone calls, and eating (fortunately, eating guilt-free).

Like with the rose, every day I need to concentrate on the beautiful smell, the colour, and then I might not even see the thorns! Life is really wonderful, and I am greatly blessed. It’s up to me however, every day, to see my blessings—to count them is to smell the roses.