Attitude @ MindSay

We are used to looking at the bad side of things that whatever does not meet our expectations are quickly thrown into the ‘will not work’ bin. And definitely we’ve accumulated piles and piles of those ‘will not work’ reasons and have changed bins several times through the years. I don’t know where we got that myopic view of looking at life and living but it sure does not do anything for us at all - Albeit lots of amazingly good opportunities are lost in that manner.

 

The thing is that something which we may have categorized ‘not plausible’ will just might have one teeny-weeny cause in there which might work to its favor and perhaps turn things around if given the chance -- Unless of course we’ve exhausted our search inside out and satisfyingly proved to ourselves that the case is downright hopeless -- Then and only then should that be bulldozed out of our life. But yes, that would be the exception rather than the rule.

 

Do you know what keeps scientists, inventors, businessmen et al do their respective tasks a thousand times over – doggedly going back to the drawing boards when stumped with an obstacle, flaw, or hurdle? They keep searching for that one good reason that will tell them that it will work! The things which we are enjoying now from that unflagging effort definitely tell us that they found it. Who’s telling us now that we can’t do the same??

 

"Forget about all the reasons why something may not work.

You only need to find one good reason why it will."         - Dr. Robert Anthony

(The picture there is Malen who is well on an adventure towards her dream. God bless, Honey!)

"Every day is a new day of learning. We can excel and exceed our own standards by consistently upgrading our outlook and attitude towards those around us. Our position, our power, our status... nothing is permanent. What will remain in fond memories of those around us is not the altitude of our achievements, but our attitude, acts of kindness, and consideration towards others." 

-- CV Varghese

 

‘Everyday is a new day of learning’ – I like that line. Each day brings with it the wonder and awe of new things. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to know them, savor them, and enjoy them-- To be there side by side with it and to know that by its experience our lives are further enriched. To know that learning through it transforms our minds and hearts leading us to becoming a better version of our old selves.

 

We go through all lengths to better ourselves through education, a thriving career, lofty positions, or a string of achievements – so then why don’t we use that same energy to better ourselves in the arena of our humanity? Wealth or the best of schools does not necessarily produce people for the world but people of the world. It’s not who we are or what we have but rather what we do with ourselves or what we possess that defines us. Because who we are or what we have do not really belong to us although they seem to -- the truth is it is not given us for our consumption alone. But rather it’s given us to serve others with and to try making our world a better place. In the end it redounds to making our lives better and us happier inside and out.

 

We can do this by learning all there is to learn in each day that comes to us. Behind every new experience is the opportunity to grow even bigger and better, to like and know ourselves more, to appreciate our gifts and to understand how better to use it, to see and appreciate the work of God’s hands in everything around us, to be kinder and compassionate to others, to appreciate the beauty of a person regardless of color, race, or creed and to respect that person for his contribution to life and to the world, and if I may add, to appreciate his contribution to our own learning.

 

Seize the day not because life is precious but also because the day brings with it untold learning treasures for you.

This is right around the season when I become very tired of working retail for a corporate giant.

I have no problem whatsoever with Christmas. I love Christmas. I deck the halls and walls and trees and roof and any living creature that moves slowly enough - it's like festive kudzu. I jingle the bells, I kling the klacken. I bake (actually, since I'm rarely home, I help bake, and taste-test everything as an additional contribution) like Grandma's going out of business. I take great pride, pains, and an artist's amount of time decorating the tree. I hug the tree, too - usually before decorating. I like tramping up and down the hills in the snow for a few hours with two sisters, my dad, and a dog, hacksaw in hand, looking for some giant overbearing Northern to bring home to our mother. I overflow with festive joy (when I'm not bushwhacked from work or studying - finals should come at some other time of year), and know wayyy too many carols (and share them far too cheerfully). I heart my family, I heart my friends, I heart my friends' families, and I get along most excellently with my family's friends (we're a weird family, they're a weird bunch). I eagerly anticipate the crackling fire, and enjoy shoveling snow (except for when I'm hauled out of bed to do it - then I take a little while to warm up to the idea). I help with church Christmas stuff, I sing, this year I was an angel in costume. I absolutely love this season.

And I really would not have an issue with not getting anything for Christmas. As long as, y'know, I still got to be the one distributing the presents - I am the self-appointed Elf, hander-outer of gifts. Maybe I'd feel a little left out - I want three. That's it.

I don't do stuff! Again, let's take the logical approach here. We'll use my friend Jason. You're giving Jason this something because you like him, love him, or think he'd like it. Jason's into paintballing, snowboarding, flirting shamelessly, and guitar. He's also quite active in theater - not hard to figure out something off that combination. (Really, half the people out there think too hard about this. Take an interest of his that you know he's proud of and enjoys, that you are impressed with, enjoy sharing with him, are proud of him for, or just don't mind encouraging. Just that one. If you go out shopping with that one interest in mind, you will definitely find something, and then can check it against what you know about Jason. If you go shopping with, "Jason," in mind, you will soon be overwhelmed with possibilities, and nothing will seem quite right.)

Those of you who are giving something out of obligation are loons who haven't gotten their heads together with the season. I happen to be a Christmas loon, or if you like, an Elf. I may be nuts, but it's a good kind of crazy.

Which is all well and good. But there's also a kind of apology gift that drives me nuts. See, Jason's got a couple of pals that he goes paintballing with, and they give him flak about being in theater, and then show up and play guitar with him backstage. So, for Christmas, none of them can really afford anything, but they're home from school for the first time in months (Justin especially - he's going to Washington State), and make a point of having time to hang out and run around in the woods, blasting each other into new levels of weltdom. And in the case of all of them, they'd rather do that than have a new cd or whatever.

Yes, obviously, I made that part up - I don't think guys think that hard.

The apology gift is the opposite. That's where what your best friend really wants is to hang out with you, because you like each other and have fun hanging out, but see, you're really too busy with all of this Christmas busyness to have time, so you just get him something and call it good. It's supposed to be a compensation, and you, my friend, are a moron to think that works, because you have no idea how much or how little your friend values you, so you can't put a price tag on it and trade off.

Yes, that does make logical sense in my brain.

To summarize: If you love someone, and you're trying to buy them something to show it, and you don't see anything odd about this, you should probably have your head examined!!

Sigh. I know. There's too many people to hang out with all of them on a one-on-one basis. And some people are uncomfortable with one-on-one. And some people actually would rather have stuff, because as they see it, they see you every day. And, okay, a lot of people that we're shopping for are between the ages of 4-12, where it actually does translate: "If I matter to you, you're willing to spend money/effort on me."

But there's still something that bothers me about working retail for this huge place where we put so much not only into the gifts, but the presentation of the gifts. I am totally moving out of this country for a year or five.

And then I'll find out that Brazil is worse, or something.