Jack’s Winning Words 11/5/13
“There’s no sadder sight than a young pessimist.”  (Mark Twain)  I’ve never heard of a young curmudgeon.  It also seems incongruous that a young person would be an old pessimist.  Maybe it’s because in younger years we tend to see the possibilities as life unfolds.  Can you recall your youthful hopes and dreams?  When you feel yourself getting caught up in the negative, why not relax and reread Huckleberry Finn?    ;-)  Jack

 FROM TARMART REV:  Remember the story about the pessimist neighbor who was out with the man next door and his new hunting dog that could walk on water retrieving the downed duck? When the man demonstrated his dog's talent by throwing a stick out a ways on the lake beside their houses, the dog hurried out on top of the water, picked up the stick, scampered back to shore and dropped the stick at their feet. When asked what the pessimistic neighbor thought about the gentleman's dog...he replied, "You got took purchasing that dog for he can't even swim!"====JACK:  Peter was walking on water, until his pessimism got the best of him.====REV:  At times in Subway at Wal-Mart they will mop the floor and will caution me to be careful when I walk on it . . . I always remind them I'm a minister equipped to walk on water!!

 FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Even sadder, a pregnant pessimist.====JACK:  I don't think they used the word, pregnant, in Twain's day, or back in "a day" that I can remember, either====JON:  Probably not. I think my only point is : perhaps we should discourage pessimists from reproducing…====JACK:  That was a good thought that sailed past my brain.

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  Youth ought to be all about hopes and dreams.  During my teen years and into my 20's, I had little money or material things, but lots of hope and dreams.  Many of the dreams didn't come true, but what did come has been just as good.  When I've been privileged to counsel youth, I've always advised them to remain positive and stay the course...you never know what's just around the corner. ====JACK:  During my growing up years there was always...tomorrow!  But, I can remember talking with young pessemists.  Mark was right...Sad!

FROM BBC IN ILLINOIS:  My son and I absolutely love that book.  We should read it aloud again and start tonight!====JACK:  I must have given my copy away, although I still have a book that gave me pleasure when I was younger, A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS: I would guess there are a number of "young pessimists today, given the frustration of the job market for recent college graduates, and the many promises that have not been fulfilled.  I've run across some young cynics this past year!  I saw a statement this morning which is fairly profound, "Live simply, Love generously, Care  deeply, and leave the rest to God'~  About the best we can do! ====JACK:  I guess it's up to the old folks to show the pessimistic young folks what they're missing by not being optimistic.

 FROM CWR IN COMMERCE:  Actually I'm an old optimist  -  75 today.  Cheers.====JACK:  Having lived 3/4 of a century...I guess that puts you in the category of being old.

 FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Have you read that there are 61 people alive who are 110 years or older in the world?  Isn't that amazing?====JACK:  When my mother turned 100, she commented that it;'s no fun to grow old and lose your friends, one by one.  Other than that, she was a pretty cheerful person, living to 102.

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  Sadder yet is one who has not outgrown it.====JACK:  We all have reasons to justify our pessimism or our optimism, so it's hard to teach old dogs new tricks.