First-graders were nervous as the teacher called on them to pass out their valentines that February day several years ago. Some of the students received many valentines. Others, who had received only a few, huddled low in their chairs.

The teacher noticed one girl in particular. Her name was Serena. She was shy and awkward, came to school only sporadically, and did not seem to have any friends among her classmates. Serena had only a few valentines on her desk, and tears were running down her cheeks, so the teacher knelt beside her to comfort her. But to her astonishment, Serena was crying for joy!

“Look at all my valentines!” She exclaimed. “I never thought I’d get even one, and look! I got six!”

Whether the cup is half empty or half full depends on your point of view. Like Serena, all of us need to modify the negative so we can accentuate the positive.

By Victor Parachin, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. Source: Signs of the Times, Copyright (c) February 2002, Pacific Press, http://www.pacificpress.com/signs. With permission from Dale E. Galusha Pacific Press Ministries dalgal@pacificpress.com