Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

"Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining"

"With the price of silver these days I have decided to sell all of my silver linings." Ava Aston 2011

When I was growing up as a rambunctious little Greek girl my father had a saying that I am sure you all have heard. When anything would go wrong or if something bad happened he would instantly be looking for the positive in those situations. He would tell me,  "Ava, every cloud has a silver lining!" In fact I heard that saying enough growing up that it became engrained in my noggin as one of my positive affirmations. I think that is why I am always positive about almost any situation.

My Dad is a great guy, but he is no poet. I knew he didn't originate the saying. It was actually John Milton who coined the phrase in Comus: A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castlein 1634. Hmm, 1634??? I wonder if Mr. Bricks knows him??

Here are several versions of the quote:

"Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud" - Mary Kay Ash, Creator of Mary Kay Cosmetics

"Too many people miss the silver lining because they are looking for gold" - Maurice Setter

"Every Cloud has its silver lining but it is sometimes a little difficult to get it to the mint" - Don Maquis

"Every silver lining has a touch of gray" - The Grateful Dead

"Clouds may come, but clouds must go, and they all have a silver lining. For behind each cloud you know, the sun, or moon is shining" - anonymous

"Every crowd has a silver lining" - PT Barnum

"Disobedience , n.  The silver lining to the cloud of servitude" - Ambrose Bierce

"Pessimism - Every dark cloud has a silver lining, but lightning kills hundreds of people each year who are trying to find it" - Larry Kersten

"A cloud is just a cloud. Just like if you slap lipstick on a pig it is still a pig" - Mr. Bricks

Leave it to Mr. Bricks for being the Debbie Downer of my positivity post today! It is amazing though that a saying that originated in the 15th century not only survived, but is most likely more popular today that it was when John Milton first wrote it. My Spanish-speaking friends say, No hay mal que por bien no venga. For all of my music loving friends you might remember that  in 20o2 "Silver Lining" was also the title of Bonnie Raitt's 14th album. (She is on my iPod.)

So even if it seems that your life is filled with thunder clouds, and they are all very dark and threatening just remember that if you look close enough you will often see a silver gleam of sunlight trying to poke through!

Blessings,

Ava

xox