“Being IRISH, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy.” ~ W.B. Yeats
My paternal grandmother was Irish, and when it came time for my DNA to be sorted out I seemed to only get her genes. My dad had quite a few of them as well, and my sister bought him a plaque with the above quote from Irish poet W.B. Yeats as a joke.
He couldn't deny that there was a great deal of truth in the sentiment, and I feel the same way when it comes to my own demeanor. I definitely tend towards the melancholy. When I read the quote, I know there is a great deal of Irish blood in my veins. I don't think I will ever be able to consider myself an optimist.
Earlier this year my family and I were on a roll when it came to good news. Lots of good things happened for me both personally and professionally. I mentioned to my mom that I was happy about all of it but I also felt like it was inevitable that it would all end and everything would go to hell soon enough. She laughed and said "Well don't you sound just like that quote on your father's plaque?"
I laughed and couldn't deny it. What can I say? It's in my genes.
Do you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? Or somewhere in between? That's the point I hope I can get to.
I'm a pessimist through-and-through. I don't even have a drop of Irish blood in me, as far as I'm aware, haha!
ReplyDeleteSupposedly there's some Irish blood in my family, but when I was little they said there wasn't so I'm not sure what to believe. But I am quite the pessimist, so maybe it is true...
ReplyDeleteI've got a tad bit of Irish in me. I call myself being a realist though.
ReplyDeleteI'm somewhere in between, but tending toward the pessimist side. I call it being realistic. =P My maternal great-grandmother is from Ireland.
ReplyDeleteI'm an eternal optimist. This works for me, although it sometimes interferes with my decision making process.
ReplyDeleteOptimist here, mostly.
ReplyDeleteAnnalisa, writing A-Z vignettes, at Wake Up, Eat, Write, Sleep
I love anything Irish and everything that has to do with Ireland, but I don't have a drop of Irish blood in my. :(
ReplyDeleteI think I'm somewhere in between.
My great grandmother was Irish. I'm usually an optimist and always a realist:) I've got the redheaded temper at times to prove my heritage.
ReplyDeleteI bet you inherit that plaque.
ReplyDeleteI lean a little more towards optimist now. Didn't always though.
I think I am more of an optimist but I like to say I am a realistic optimist. Love that quote! Maybe my hubby has some Irish in him:)
ReplyDeleteI'm a total optimist!! Apparently, my ability to see everything with a postive spin can get annoying. I even had a guy break up with me once because he said "You wake up crapping sunshine babe and that just gets annoying after a while." Can you believe that? Of course, I took the break up well, I'm an optimist :)
ReplyDeleteMy maternal grandfather was Irish and my grandmother is Welsh, another notoriously melancholy nation. I think I'm somewhere in between, I can have times of deep gloom but I come out of it. I do start each day as an optimist, but it doesn't always last too long!
ReplyDeleteHi Julie,
ReplyDeleteSure and Begorrah, about time I actually visited. Yes, I'm actually here. Well, in a virtual sense.
May the luck continue. I think of myself as an optimist with a pessimistic tendency. It's all about the balance that I strive to achieve.
Happy alphabetting. I can't believe I said that! LOL
Gary :)
I like to think of myself as a optimist, but then I find myself tipping the scales to pessimist, so I must be both!!!
ReplyDeleteIrish!!!! I mean I'm Irish. Ha!! Love this.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised you are Irish...your red hair is a real tip off :) I guess I'm an optimist, but I do have down moments. Don't laugh...but when I'm down or sick, I want old Shirley Temple movies...the ultimate in optimism. Really, you should try it.
ReplyDeleteInventions by Women A-Z
Shells–Tales–Sails
Hi Julie - thankfully I'm an optimist and am lucky in that respect ... there's too much on offer and we're so lucky living in the first world - we can't be down. Love the plaque ...but am glad I'm not that way inclined .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteIf it's in your DNA then I think it's a part of you forever- but getting closer to the middle of the spectrum is a completely reasonable and realistic goal.
ReplyDeleteI think I tend towards optimistic but, with a healthy dose of skepticism that keeps me tethered towards realism. Whenever I get too excited about something a little voice comes into my mind and accuses me of being idealistic or romantic, and then i'm right back down to earth.
Definitely an optimist! I too a quarter Irish on my father's side. His mother was a no nonsense German lady who took each day as it came. Maybe that's where it come from. I quite enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteGreat quote! Usually I'm an optimist, but boy is it hard sometimes to see the silver lining when you're in the middle of a monsoon.
ReplyDeleteI always refer to myself as an optimistic-realist!
ReplyDeleteThat's definitely what I am.
... and I have Scottish blood somewhere... haven't traced it though...