Wayne Dyer and and the Sunny Side of the Street

"Pollyanna is a best-selling 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter that is now considered a classic of children's literature, with the title character's name becoming a popular term for someone with the same very optimistic outlook." A Pollyanna is  "characterised by irrepressible optimism evident in the face of even the most adverse or discouraging of circumstances. It is sometimes used pejoratively, referring to someone whose optimism is excessive to the point of naïveté." 
(Took these quotes from Wikipedia.)

My father described me as a Pollyanna when I was a kid. I admit he had me pegged correctly.I have the personality traits of a Pollyanna especially in group situations where I can easily become a cheerleader for the success of others. When it comes to my own pursuits, I can get lost in depression, sink down, lose focus and give up the struggle. 

Wayne Dyer, the self-help guru, had Pollyanna-style personality traits. I listened to one of Dyer's  video presentations and he described his experiences growing up in an orphanage. He was the kid that helped the other children deal with the challenges of being in an orphanage. He welcomed the new arrivals to the orphanage, assuring the new kids it was a great place to be. 

Dyer passed away in 2015, at 75 years of age. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2009. His health issues suggest the Pollyanna personality may conceal a great sadness beneath the cheerful veneer. Did Wayne Dyer cover his pain with an elaborate system of defenses? 

Wayne Dyer used a Pollyanna-like optimism to deal with a very difficult set of circumstances early in life.  He generously contributed to the happiness of others with his ideas and insights-- always eager to assist the newbies. We can only imagine what darkness he wrestled with in his youth as he struggled to stay on the sunny side of the street.

On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(Louis Armstrong recorded the song in 1933)

Grab your hat and get your coat
Leave your worries on the doorstep
Life can be so sweet 
On the sunny side of the street