Jack’s Winning Words 6/7/07
“Being an optimist after you’ve got everything you want, doesn’t count.” (Ken Hubbard) There are a few people I’ve met who continue to be cheerful even though life has handed them some setbacks. How do they do it? In 1914 Thomas Edison’s lab was almost completely destroyed by fire. His response? “Thank God we can begin anew.” That’s the spirit of optimism. Today is a new day. Begin anew! ;-) Jack

FROM B.S. NEAR ORLANDO: > > A 92-year-old, small-framed, well-poised and proud man, who is fully
> > dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably > > coifed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved > > to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away,
> > making the move necessary.> > After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing
> > home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was read y.> >> > As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual > > description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had
> > been hung on his window.> >> > "I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old
> > having just been presented with a new puppy.> >> > "Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait"
> >> > "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.> >> > "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like > > my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ...
> > it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a > > decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can > > spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts
> > of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful > > for the ones that do.
> > Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the > new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this > > time in my life.
> >> > Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
> >> > So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the
> > bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my
> > Memory bank. I am still depositing." Remember the five simple rules
> > to be happy:
> >> > 1. Free your heart from hatred.
> > 2. Free your mind from worries.
> > 3 Live simply.
> > 4. Give more.
> > 5. Expect less.