Rose-colored Glasses

I was accused recently of wearing rose-colored glasses. The person making the accusation is someone close to me, and she wasn’t speaking in anger or disapproval so much as telling me that she thought I was not looking squarely into the eye of reality. No doubt she was startled when I smiled in response, because we both knew she hadn’t meant it as a compliment.

Still, to me it was positive reinforcement for my general optimism, which has carried me with a good measure of contentment throughout life. I’m glad it’s visible to others.

I don’t believe that “looking squarely into the eye of reality” must mean seeing only what’s negative or threatening or dismal or unsettling. These elements may be found if they are sought. But so are the positive elements: the reasons for joy, the causes of hope, the thriling promises of the possible. That’s where I want to live; that’s where I want my identity to be firmly rooted; that’s the ground out of which I want to sprout my future.

So, don’t be in a hurry to send me to the optometrist for new eyeglasses – I’ll just keep my rose-colored ones. They never go out of style.