An Attitude worth Catching!

I don't know about you, but I'm definitely the type that likes to avoid struggle and confrontation.  I avoid it all costs in my dealings with other people and I would prefer that my life just be void of difficulties in the first place.  I don't thrive on challenges and stress.  I'm definitely a "go with the flow" kind of person.  I'd much rather learn from other peoples' difficult experiences than face my own.   When faced with adversity I tend to shrink under the pressure and tend to have a "Woe is me" attitude.

In the past few weeks I have been able to observe a friend who is taking a challenge in her life and embracing it head on.  Though her diagnosis is no longer secret, she is not publically advertising it to those who don't "need to know". Out of respect for her I will not use her real name, but will call her "Elizabeth"

Elizabeth was just diagnosed recently with a very treatable form of cancer.  Elizabeth is not one to shrink before an enemy (like I am) and even though her battle is just beginning I am blown away by her attitude, her strength and her determination.  Elizabeth is being honest about her bad days, but she already knows that this is a journey she would never want to trade, and truly believes that on the other side of this obstacle she will be better than ever.  I think that's actually what I've picked up most on from Elizabeth already--she's looking at her cancer diagnosis as an obstacle and not as an ending (because it's not!)

Elizabeth's prognosis is very good.  There are some days I have had a hard time being upset/worried for her because she totally believes, "God's got this" and her attitude is contagious.

The truth is all of us have contagious attitudes.  Attitudes like Elizabeth's---optimism in the face of a serious illness---are inspiriringly contagious and ones we should all "catch".  When we're around negative people we tend to "catch" their attitude, too.   The truth is I don't know many people facing as difficult of a struggle as my friend, but attitudes like hers are rare.  I know I struggle with negativity and often should be quararantined so that nobody else catches what I'm spreading.

I think I'm going to spend more time with Elizabeth and others whose attitude I want to catch instead of those who need to be quarantined before they infect others (myself included)!