Most of the time I'm upbeat, if realistic. Once in a while though...I can go from "Everything is gonna be all right" to "We're all gonna die" in the blink of a teary eye.

I try really hard to find a balance. I feel the need to be realistic: everything is NOT going to be just like the good ol' days. But I can choose to make the best of what I've got.

When the dark times hit, I remind myself not to let my emotions rule my thinking, and I hold tight to God's unchanging hand until daylight comes.

Some sound advice and good humor in the other posts you've received. Looks like you have lots of friends, old and otherwise. Step away from the hot chocolate for a moment--I'm going to get a running start and dive in!