Rose Bushes

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or we can rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”

-Abraham Lincoln

This quote is not particularly about rose bushes and thorn bushes. The roses in this quote represent the positive things, while the thorns symbolize the negative things. A pessimistic person’s perspective would be “complaining because rose bushes have thorns,” hence focusing on the negative things. An optimistic perspective would be “rejoicing because thorn bushes have roses;” therefore, focusing on the positive things and looking on the bright side. People who are optimistic are prone to being more successful and happy with their lives. If a person views a bush as a thorn bush with roses, then he or she will view a glass of water as half full, rather than half empty. It is how a person chooses to look at the world.

To me, this quote means one should have an optimistic character rather than a pessimistic one. It implies that a person should have a positive outlook on the world and his or her personal life. People naturally have a tendency to look on the doubtful side of a scenario. The point that Lincoln is trying to make is that people have a choice. They can either view something in a negative way, or they can view the same thing positively. It is all a matter of choice, and how we decide to view things that happen to us and around us. We should “rejoice” and realize the significance of our blessings instead of “complaining” about the things that we do not have.