I try to be optimistic in moments of despair. I have learned to be optimistic through the many television shows I watched as a child. One character that particularly comes to mind is Eeyore from The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. While the other characters in the show are lively and happy, Eeyore is constantly gloomy and depressed. When comparing the optimistic Tigger to a pessimistic Eeyore, I knew it was better to have a more positive outlook about life.

Many years ago, on Easter, I got ice cream with my friends. The double scoop in a waffle cone was perfect for the warm day, but I happened to step into a ditch. I tripped and spilled the untouched cold treat. On the inside, I felt like my life was over as I had just wasted a fresh ice cream. I regretted not taking few licks and being my clumsy self. However, I could not express those sad feelings with my friends who were enjoying their memorable day. I pretended to not care, when I really did, and continued to smile on. I told my friends, “I simply dropped one of the thousands of ice creams that I will eat in my life time.” My friends then noted that I was really optimistic, and that they would have actually cried. As they continued to compliment my positivity in a negative situation, I realized that replacing negativity with hopeful feelings helps others stay positive as well. With that mindset, I continued to face difficult problems with optimism, and it was much easier than dealing with those hardships with pessimism.

When I merely thought that Eeyore was a depressed donkey that sulked in his misery, I remembered that each time his house was knocked down, he rebuilt it. Knowing that Eeyore usually expects misfortune, but accepts it and tries to fix the problem, shows me that Eeyore is a character of compassion. Although I identify with Tigger more than Eeyore, I know that I possess both traits of each character.