It is an age-old question: Do you see the glass as half-full or half-empty?

We usually treat the answer as a reflection of personality. The person who notices what remains is called an optimist. The person who notices what is missing is called a pessimist.

But I have come to believe the question is more complicated than that.

Have you ever found yourself in church, listening to a sermon, and your thoughts drift away? I am sure we have all been there — writing notes to stay focused, fidgeting to calm nerves, or perhaps struggling to stay awake due to a lack of sleep. That is where I found myself on this Sunday, and adding to my distraction were thoughts of a recent discussion with my physician. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis so am no stranger to difficult medical conversations, but discussing the future need for a knee replacement at age 47 had been a shock and was weighing on my mind.