It’s an old story I’ve mangled many times; here’s a better version of it, excerpted from “How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life” by Peter Robinson: :

[Worried that their twin sons] had developed extreme personalities — one was a total pessimist, the other a total optimist — their parents took them to a psychiatrist. 

First the psychiatrist treated the pessimist.  Trying to brighten his outlook, the psychiatrist took him to a room piled to the ceiling with brand-new toys.  But instead of yelping with delight, the little boy burst into tears.  ”What’s the matter?” the psychiatrist asked, baffled. “Don’t you want to play with any of the toys?”  “Yes,” the little boy bawled, “but if I did I’d only break them.” 

Next the psychiatrist treated the optimist.  Trying to dampen his out look, the psychiatrist took him to a room piled to the ceiling with horse manure.  But instead of wrinkling his nose in disgust, the optimist emitted just the yelp of delight the psychiatrist had been hoping to hear from his brother, the pessimist.  Then he clambered to the top of the pile, dropped to his knees, and began gleefully digging out scoop after scoop with his bare hands.  ”What do you think you’re doing?” the psychiatrist asked, just as baffled by the optimist as he had been by the pessimist. “With all this [shit],” the little boy replied, beaming, “there must be a pony in here somewhere!” 

Over the years, I’ve managed to notice that every soi-disant disaster in my life has generated some of the best things in my life.For example: Had a terrible job I hated? I met my BFF working there. If not for the terrible job, I wouldn’t have looked for a different job, which turned out to be a great job, working for one of the best people ever.

The list goes on. Ponies everywhere I look.

I have managed to achieve one thing in my personal life: when life hands me an ornamental citrus heavy with lemons, one of my first thoughts is “I wonder what awesome event is going to come out of this mess.” And I genuinely anticipate whatever that might be, and start looking for that damned pony.

May your stable be full this year.

© E. Stocking Evans 2014