The Glad Game

I'm sure most of you have heard of it. The Glad Game, which consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation, is from Eleanor Porter's novel Pollyanna (also a Walt Disney movie starring Hayley Mills). I haven't thought about the movie or the game for years... not until Friday as I ate lunch with a friend. She is new to me. We met in karate and though she is years older than me, I adore all the time I spend with her. If I had to guess her age based on her sunshine and love of life, I would put her in her early twenties. In fact, our luncheon Friday was a quick break from the motorcycle shopping we were doing. She wanted a new bike and asked me to come with her. Are you kidding? I would LOVE to! A girl after my own heart. We had a great time looking at the various bikes on the market. (Victory's Vegas Low is a new favorite of mine). I was amazed at her knowledge and her fearlessness. I was so timid getting on the motorcycle and even more so when she told me to tip it up and get a feel for it. I sweat buckets each time I pushed a bike off its stand. Phew! I am SO glad I didn't drop any of them! But, back to Ilona. (Cool name, huh).

So anyway, we were sitting in a Vietnamese restaurant just chatting about everything. This was our first interaction away from karate and I was loving every minute of it. She is like the first breeze after winter. You know, the one where you can actually smell Spring and you know the cold, bitter season is almost over. Oh, how I love that first breath of life! And she is abundant with it! I am only 29 and sometimes I feel like my time has come and gone. But not Ilona, she grasps every bit of life and squeezes every ounce out of it. I mentioned this difference to her... that she lives to live and I, for the most part, live in fear. And that's when she asked me, "Have you ever heard of the Glad Game." Well, I had. I think everyone knows about Pollyanna. And she let me in on her secret. She plays the game... and that helps her to be happy.

Really? The Glad Game? That kept her going? I thought about it the rest of our day together. And then on Sunday when I visited her after finding out she tore a ligament. And then on Monday and now today as mole hills seem to be blowing up into towering infernos of volcanic proportions. I even looked it up on Wikipedia to make sure I really understood the game. And I do. It's simple... probably too simple. Like when the staff is raised to the children of Israel and all they have to do is look to be healed. But they didn't. Like me they probably thought it was too easy. It wouldn't work. So why try? Just spend 30 seconds with Ilona and you'll see why you should try. Or at least I see why I should try. Because she is a wonderfully amazing human being and I want to be like her. I want to be happy. I want to let go of the crap and hold onto the amazing.

So, here I go. Even though I am sick for the millionth time this year, I am glad that I don't have a boss that I have to plead with to stay home. And although volcanic situations threaten to overwhelm me, I am glad that I have Joe... who has proven to be VERY fireproof at the moment. He's absorbed the heat and protected me. I am glad I have friends who love me, "As Is." I am glad I have a Heavenly Father who is watching out for me, whether or not I deserve it. And I am glad for Ilona, who reminded me to look for the silver lining in every cloud.

And you know what... I am glad that the Glad Game is already working!