Positive Outlook on Life
 

This is some great wisdom from a friend of mine named James.
He is a 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man.
This conversation occured while accompanying him to a nursing home
he moved to the other day.....

He gets fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair
fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally
blind.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the
move necessary. We had waited patiently for quite a few hours in
the lobby of the nursing home till the aid came and told him that
his room was ready. He had a nice smile on his face.

I walked with the aid and James as he maneuvered his walker to
the elevator. The aid was talking. He provided a visual description
of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on
his window.

All of a sudden James bursts out, "I love it!". He stated this with
the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented
with a new puppy.

The aid said, "You haven't seen the room; just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," James 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.

And this was the best part he said...

"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!

I thanked James for the profound thoughts and told him that along with
his words now added to my Memory bank, that I am still making deposits.

This is what he told me to write down:
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.

I thought I'd share.

Re: Positive Outlook on Life
 

Thank you Thor, just what I needed on a morning that didn't start out 'happy'.

Re: Positive Outlook on Life
 

Inspirational.....I'm now totally in awe of this man. He should be a government spokesman. Not just the US either!!!!

Thanks Thor...I very glad you DID share.

Re: Positive Outlook on Life
 

good thread!

I would amend it to say...Expect as much.

Re: Positive Outlook on Life
 

Fantastic. As I read through the posts, I was thinking (with my typically cynical filter), this is one of those well intentioned internet chain letters. Well, if it is, it's a good one. If it's not, even better. My only thought is to modify 5 to 5a: demand less; 5b: expect more. Same idea, with a (I hope) even more optimistic slant.

Re: Positive Outlook on Life
 

This is a wonderful man with whom I share the same outlook on life. Thank you Thor

Re: Positive Outlook on Life
 

Great post and words of wisdom, Thor!