Of Being a Pessimist

Nah. The title itself doesn't actually pertain to me being a pessimist per se but it is what most people say when they hear me murder their suggestions.

I am known as a destroyer and a critic from high school up to now. I was director, editor and writer and events organizer and master of ceremony in some groups and/or programs in highschool and college wherein I utilized my ability to detect errors and overlook things.

And that ability, as seen by mediocre people, is called Pessimism.

"Ang negative mo naman," is what my groupmates or colleagues would often tell me.

Unlike them, I am open to the possibility of different things and events, no matter how improbable they may be.

Yes, most people tend to overlook the Possibility of something to happen just because of a very low Probability percentage.

An example would be when I was in college. Me and my friends went to Glorietta with a Clinical Instructor. Our school was in Batangas. There was this Clinical Instructor who was the archnemesis of that CI we were with. And lo and behold, even if she was from Lucena, of all the dates and malls in Southern Tagalog, we bumped into her and got into a little mishap.

Another is during a Medical Mission I went in to that was organized by Nursing students. No one even thought of bringing a First-Aid Kit. Lo and behold, a man went to us and asked for first aid after he got sideswiped by a speeding motorcycle. Of course, we were only able to provide oral pain medications.

The first example, we were very much sure that we will not see that dreaded CI in Manila since, hello, she's already old and she's not the type to go lollygagging in Metro Manila. The Probability was like 1:10000000000000000000000 but it happened there and then. Improbable but possible.

The second, of course, Medical Missions serve the needy. And most of them will think that even emergency services are given like that man who went to us. Sadly, we didn't have the required resources. That scenario was unforeseen. Improbable but possible. And it happened.

Improbable but possible. That is what I always look for in a situation.

Before handing a verdict or a plan, I try to foresee and analyze situations that may affect, directly or indirectly, any parts of the plan itself. If such were not considered, then, said plan may lose its efficiency if things go out of hand - just because of unconsidered possible improbable events.

The pessimist that I am. At least, I give out warnings.

And even if it pains me to say so, I always end up saying, "I told you so."