They say that to be happy and positive, one must surround oneself with happy and positive people. Don't ask me who "they" are. I only know that I keep reading this -- as if the statement was directed toward me. I'm not the most positive person in the world; the optimist in me is frequently overcome by the pessimist.

But I live with an optimist. He can find the brightest spot of the gloomiest situation. Here's an example. Winter in Ohio can be tough. Dark, cold and often gloomy, especially as we move toward spring and the cold rains seem to overtake our lives. But try taking a walk with my husband on one of these days. Inevitably, his comment will be "Gee, what a nice day". As my adopted third daughter would say, "Meh".

So...with this idea of surrounding myself with happy, positive beings, I have this little routine. I sit and think of the funniest, sunniest, brightest bulbs in my life. These are the individuals who can simply make me laugh and/or smile by appearing in my thoughts.

Okay, so there's my coworker, Coral Naylor. She's 25, married and due to deliver her first child in a little more than a month. Given the realities of the third trimester, she should be exhausted, dragging herself to work, and cranky all day. But no. Instead, her lilting, "Hi! How are you?" greets me the minute I walk in the door. It's not a fake greeting; it's real. One look at me tells her I need a hug, which she gives me, huge belly and all. I can't help but laugh.

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