I have always thought of the idiom of the glass half-full or half-empty as an illustration of optimism or pessimism, but today it became clear to me that it is much more profound than that.
To the person whose glass is half-full, the universe doesn’t owe anything. They started with nothing, so any drop in their glass is something more than they had before. They are grateful to have any increase.
To the person whose glass is half-empty the universe is not providing what they think they are entitled to.
It is not just an expression used to illustrate optimism or pessimism, but a barometer of a persons sense of gratitude or entitlement, sense of abundance or scarcity, and perhaps even humility or pride.
I hope I may always see my glass as full from this point forward.
