Looking For the Silver Lining

The phrase "every cloud has a silver lining" means that even in difficult situations, there is always a positive aspect or hope for something better. It encourages optimism by suggesting that bad times may lead to good outcomes. To that I say, "Not always!" (See photo above.)

Terrible things happen all the time that never lead to anything good. I don't have to list them for you, you can think of many yourself. Yet the old saying persists, mostly because people don't know what to say when things are bad, so they say that things aren't so bad. Or that they'll get better.

Sometimes they do, but not for everyone involved. In this particular case, my cat. Lurch is 17 and has been on a downward slide for several months. A visit to the vet last week confirmed that he will likely not get better. This sad news is the cloud.

So what's the silver lining? Saving money on cat food (after we spend a ton more money tests and treatment)? No more little dead critters brought as gifts from Lurch at my back door? Less dust in the house? Oh wait, here's a good one: my friend who is allergic to cats can finally come over. Big deal, we aren't even friends anymore.

Okay, finally I got one: We can travel on a whim without worrying who will watch the cat and paying a petsitter enormous sums of money. There, that's my silver lining.

Funny, I don't feel any better.