ODDitude

My Dad loves books...and I do too. But the book he most recently gave to me to read is unlike any other book he's given me. It's a self-help book, of sorts.

It's called ODDitude by John R. Powers, the same fellow who wrote the Broadway musical Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?. It's one of those books that is an easy fast read, and is full of great reflective thoughts.

My favorite, after reading the book once, comes from the chapter: "We Should Never Deny Ourselves the Agony of Defeat." A great title to begin with, and since I still feel in the midst of defeat--encouraging for me. My favorite quote from this chapter is the following:

"If you haven't lost, you haven't lived."

There is so much that can be said about those seven words...I feel every single one of them right now.

The living part is the fun part. The losing...not so much. But it is the space between the losing and the next living that I find most intriguing. It is in that negative space that we learn. The space between is where we grow the most, I believe. It is where we take what we learned from just having lost, and start to apply it to what we think is next in our life. That negative space...is not so negative--not in any sense of the word. It becomes full of promise, for our continuation of really living--but it also becomes positive because we have the opportunity to better ourselves in that moment.

Having lived and lost...I know at this point I am better for it...but I also know that is because I have chosen at each step to take the higher road--to continue to learn from my mistakes and downfalls. I have chosen to not hold onto the past or any grudge, and move on.You have the same choice every day. My Dad always used to tell me: "Every moment has the opportunity to be good or bad. The choice is yours."

So, I choose the good. As much as I can--I choose to be positive and live in happiness.

You can do the same.

If you haven't read it yet, you should read ODDitude. For the ODD, a lot of it is a no-brainer....but sometimes you have to be reminded that being ODD is great. And for the Evens...it's time to be ODD.

Just read the darn book.