I was crying because I had no shoes. Then I saw a man who had no feet.

My old English teacher loved to quote this. And this simple sentence holds a world of meaning. Perspective is very important in life. And so is attitude. A positive outlook can help you see the brighter side of things, the silver lining in the cloud, or the light at the end of the tunnel. Being optimistic is the best gift you can ever give yourself.

I am going to share a story where a possible disaster turned into a positive experience for me. And it changed the course of my life.

I had to relocate to a new city against my wishes. I was totally glum because it wasn’t what I wanted. I knew no one in the new place. I would have to leave my friends behind. And I would have to set up house all over again. There were a few weeks before I had to leave. I spent all the time sulking. I could have won an award for how nasty one could get.

I needed to find a new apartment, book my flight, buy a new wardrobe. I went through all the motions listlessly. I searched online and booked the first apartment I could find. Same went for the flight. I was supposed to get the keys from the front desk when I reached. My friends threw me a farewell party the day before I left. I made it very clear that I wasn’t happy to be going, not giving a single thought for all the trouble they had gone through to make me feel special.

I packed my bags and boarded my flight. The cab reached the new place as the sun was setting. I got down, cursing in my mind, expecting some sort of dump infested with roaches. I stepped in to the concierge’s desk and looked beyond it to a spacious club house. A few guys were shooting some pool, and another bunch of girls was giggling over a sitcom on a wide 60 inch TV. Turns out I had unknowingly leased an apartment in the poshest part of downtown. The building was actually a skyscraper with 25 floors and gated entry.

The streets were lit with soft yellow lights. There was the typical hustle and bustle of a downtown area, with folks setting out for dinner.

As I stepped into my apartment, I felt something wash over me. It was a surprising feeling. Here I was, in a new city, in a swanky downtown studio, in a building with a concierge, with a pool, Jacuzzi and sauna. The night was young, actually, life was! I had a new job waiting for me, new friends to make, and new challenges to overcome. So OK, it wasn’t going to be a joyride, but it promised to be thrilling. At that moment, I knew I could conquer anything.

As I stepped into the elevator to go out to grab some dinner, I ran into another girl who was just moving in. And the rest, as they say, is history.

So in case you want to know, the town was Indy, and I spent the best and most memorable times of my life in that city. The Crossroads of America made me believe in hope and optimism again.

Image Courtesy – Jimmy Baikovicius (Flickr: Skyline Indianapolis) via Wikimedia Commons