This made me think of many other coined phrases I believe to be true and run along the same line, "It isn't over until it's over," "Life is what you make of it," and "When there's a will there is a way!" I had a few habits in high school I desperately tried kicking, when I would ask my friends for their support and encouragement I remember many of them would tell me, "Quitters never win," or they would just tell me it was hopeless to try and change anything. Now almost ten years later I have altered my life in such a way I am who I've always wanted to be, working towards my dreams, and recognizing nothing will stop me or hold me back except those I give the power to do so.
I thought about how I've been able to keep a positive attitude through my trials and test of my faith and integrity. I haven't always been lil miss sunshine (however, it was a childhood nickname.) My freshman year I remember walking home from Chem Lab with my partner and him stopping me in the street and saying don't you ever have anything positive to say? It blew my mind and I instantly recognized Brock's comment as being reality. I could be such a downer and it was my choice. After that year I moved off campus, attended a different ward, hung out with a more mature crowd, and started preparing to serve a full-time mission. My heart began to change and I started seeing how we can sometimes be a victim of circumstance, but we never need to be a victim of attitude. My perspective went from being dealt a hand to making my hand, being given lemons and making lemonade, or my personal favorite, " Seeing the glass half full.
There is a brand of hippie-wear I fell in love with in the last area of my mission, "Life is Good." I became such a big fan because the little slogans are true and happy symbols of positivity paired with a fun picture. Some of my favorites are, "Not all who wander are lost (with a pair of sandals)," or "Breakfast in Bed (a sleeping bag, a skillet, and campfire). More than anything, I bought into the ideal that no matter what, when all is said and done, Life really is Good!
What are 5 good things in your life? What are 5 things you can do to make someone else's life better? Why is it important to remember Life really is Good?
I took my lil HenHen bowling last week after he worked on summer schoolwork for 2 hours. Poor guy, my heart was hurting for him! He was such a trooper and kept pulling though in his journalling. Regardless, Hen has a hard time letting others win at games, not being upset about winning, and then when things don't completely go his way he wants to "throw in the towel" and be done. Well if I let him go on in such a way, he will have a less productive school year, won't make as many friends, and life will seem a little more dark and gloomy than his Asperger's already presents it to be at times. I won't have that-life is already challenging!
I pre-cursed bowling by telling him I would most likely beat him at bowling. I gave him the advantage/choice of bumpers, a lighter ball, and even first go. During the game we focused on sportsmanship and how even if he didn't knock down any pins we could still give each other high-fives, have a good attitude, and keep moving forward in the game. He did better than I thought he would at losing. He loathes losing and seemed to brush it off quite well, we talked about our actual scores after each frame and in the first three frames he was winning, but I knew once I felt the spin come into my throw, it was over. I was overwhelmingly impressed with how well Hen went with going with the flow (as he calls it). Not only did he embrace his loss, but he was able to find joy in the journey, and said within seconds of leaving the parking lot, "That was a really fun game, thanks for taking me!"
How often do we thank our creator for the incredible ride we call life and His assistance in our ability to keep a proper outlook and eternal perspective? I hope to be more like Henry and an aforementioned other's opinions on the span of life and find the gratitude in remembering taking it one day at a time and making it can be refreshingly invigorating!
I found my Christmas pickle shattered to smithereens this evening and felt quite dismal as I thought about how that was one of my prized tangible possessions from my mission. I don't normally get sad about things, but this had memories attached, my first Christmas in the mission field, Leavenworth's amazingness, and time with Tiff Brown. Then a few hours later instead of thinking on the dismal I thought of taking Fall break and talking my darling companion into going back to the mission for a trip for-it made the pickle busting not seem so bad after all! Plus proves my theory, you can find something positive in anything...that's right anything! It's called the glad game-thanks Polly!
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