How full is your cup – does it runneth over or is it empty so it has room to receive? Ah, such deep questions to ponder.

If we are talking about coffee, I prefer my cup to be bottomless, but not empty, always having room to receive more, though never, ever running over.

If we are talking about life, then the answer is yes to both.

Looking at my life, I do believe my cup runneth over. I have been blessed and feel very fortunate for everything I have.

I also hope I never see my cup as so full that there is no room left for new people, thoughts, ideas or experiences.

If you know me or have read my previous posts, you may be surprised to learn how I would answer this cup question, “Do I see the cup as half full or half empty?”

I do not see the cup as half full. I also do not see it as half empty, though. I prefer to see the cup as three-quarters full.

What do I mean?

I know the question is just referring to whether one is an optimist or a pessimist but I just have a hard time feeling good about seeing anything in life as half full. When I see my coffee cup half full, I look for more coffee to put in it.

Same goes with life. Why settle for half full? I like to look for things to make my life three-quarters full.

Why do I stop at three-quarters full? Why not go to all full? To me, all full is not reality. There are always going to be things in life that knock us down and if we convince ourselves that life is “all full”, when we are knocked down life becomes “awful.” I want to be positive, but I also want to be real.

Someone could say it is easy for me to look at life that way because I have had it fairly easy and I have not had to face the challenges some others have had to face.

I would have to agree. It is fairly easy for me to wake up most days and find the positives in life. I hope it is always that way for me.

Still, if and when my cup gets knocked over, I know it is possible to get it back to three-quarters full. I know it is possible because I know others who have done it. I know people whose lives are much more difficult than mine and they still find the positives in life.

Like the single mother I know whose son killed himself a few years ago. Every day her heart aches for him (her only child), and most likely will till the day she dies, yet she does her best to find the positives in life, especially regarding the impact her son had on others.

Then there is Holli, who went to school with my wife. One month, she was enjoying life with a wonderful husband and kids. The next, she finds out her husband has a rare form of cancer. Several months later, she begins facing life as a single mother of four young boys, while grieving the loss of the love of her life.

I find inspiration reading her blog. She is honest about how life really “sucks” at times, and yet still she tries to find a way to make the best of each day and the new situations and challenges she faces. From what I have read, she succeeds at it more often than not.

Now I would imagine with both of these women there are most likely days when the pain is so great they would rather not get out of bed and face life. Maybe some days they don’t. But most days they do.

It is because of people like these two women that I know I can make my life three-quarters full.

P.S. If you are interested in reading Holli’s blog, here is the link http://thenelson4.wordpress.com. I find her writing to be very personal, heartfelt, honest, and often times, quite humorous.