Looking on the bright side. When you hear this statement, it immediately brings me to the song from British comedy, Monty Python: “Always look on the bright side of life.” I must say, I have been “sitting” on this column for a while.

How do I get my point across with kindness and respect to all? As many of you know, I like to see my glass as half full. Life is too short to keep bringing yourself and everyone around you down. And it’s up to you to make the change. With the current political environment, it’s very challenging to stay grounded. You hear something one day, and you hear something different the next. What I like for everyone to do is to think deeply about how you would want to be managed on your job. How do you want your household to run? How do you want your family and friends to be around you? I tell you what I want — I want anyone around me to be kind and have respect for each other, all creatures and to Mother Earth.

I want a leader who empowers people to be better and to work with each other for the greater good of all. I want to have hope for a better future for everyone, not just for me but for my children and grandchildren. I want all people to have a voice, and to be treated with respect. I want the law to be followed. I want to live in a democracy. I want to be able to say,” What a fantastic educational system we have.” I want a team around me who works together and fills the weaknesses in me.

Sharing kindness and love doesn’t take any money or effort, yet lately it seems to be harder and harder to see and to feel. What do I not want — I don’t want to be bullied around. I don’t want to be spoken to in a disrespectful manner. I don’t want others to suffer so I can better myself. I don’t want chaos. I don’t want hate. I don’t want decisions to be made on the fly. I don’t want division. I don’t want people to miss their opportunity because they are different (and yes, they should have the best qualifications). I don’t want to forget the past as we must learn from it.

I can go on and on, now put this in perspective in your household — do you want your spouse to be deceiving, disrespectful or hateful? Do you want your employer to bully you in your workplace? Do you get disappointed when promises are made in your job and not followed up? Instead of getting lost in this mess of media, where so much information is thrown at us — accurate and inaccurate — stop, re-group and bring this to your personal life. How do you want to be treated? Remember WWJD? What Would Jesus Do? It is a motto to encourage behavior that is consistent with Jesus’s teachings which was big in the ’90s. He spreads love, forgiveness, healing and asked us to be merciful. So my request to you is to dig deep and show love, spread kindness and respect everyone — even if they think differently from you. I believe in the goodness of people and I will continue to look at the bright side of life. I am leaving you with this quote from Robert De Niro:

“I am not despairing, because I always look at the bright side and hope things will right themselves and that people appreciate goodness and empathy and will try to do the right thing.”

Ester H. Marsh is executive director and director of healthy living at the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA.