On a lovely June Saturday morning, I’ve just the thing to kickstart your thinking as you head into your weekend. One of you sent this during the week, and it cried out to be shared. Read on . . .
Attitude….
A famous writer was in his study. He picked up his pen and began writing:
** Last year, my gall bladder was removed. I was stuck in bed due to this surgery for a long time. ** The same year I reached the age of 60 and had to give up my favorite job. I had spent 30 years of my life with this publishing company. ** The same year I experienced the death of my father. ** In the same year my son failed in his medical exam because he had a car accident. He had to stay in the hospital with a cast on his leg for several days. ** And the destruction of the car was a second loss. His concluding statement” “Alas! It was such bad year!!”
Yes, I know. Even famous writers sometimes use more than one exclamation point when they know only one is needed.
When the writer’s wife entered the room, she found her husband looking dejected, sad and lost in his thoughts. She carefully and surreptitiously read what he had written, silently left the room and came back shortly with another piece of paper on which she had written her summary of the year’s events and placed it beside her husband’s paper.
Her husband saw that she had written something in response so he read her “take” on the year’s events:
** Last year I finally got rid of my gall bladder which had given me many years of pain. ** I turned 60 with sound health and retired from my job. Now I can utilize my time to write better and with more focus and peace. ** The same year my father, at the age of 95, without depending on anyone and without any critical conditions, met His Creator. ** The same year, God blessed my son with life. My car was destroyed, but my son was alive and without permanent disability.
At the end she wrote: This year was an immense blessing and it passed well!
It’s not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.
The writer and his wife both wrote of the same incidents but with contrasting viewpoints.
Moral: In daily lives we must see that it’s not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy. There is always, always, always something for which to be thankful!
Attitude is the one thing over which we can have control, in every circumstance.
Live so that your memories will be part of your happiness. Be grateful!
Thank you, 2nd Cupper, for sharing this. I’ve a hunch you knew it might find its way here.
Everyone? Reread the meme to the right. Some years ago I learned to begin thanking God by faith for answers I hadn’t yet seen. Walsch is right. And there’s not just power there. It’s also a great way to keep yourself in gratitude mode.
© D. Dean Boone, June 2016