I have been thinking about something I read a couple of months ago that made a strong impression on me. After the death of one of my students, his parents gave me his personal journal to read and I was astounded by everything he had written. He was only twenty years old but the amount of thought he put into things completely defied his youth. Of everything he had written the statement that stands out the most for me was the entry he made after receiving his driver’s license. “My power grows” is how he put it. When I first read this I remember thinking that it was strange way of looking at his accomplishment but the more I pondered it the more profoundly wise the statement became.What a wonderful way of looking at things. Isn’t it easier to discipline yourself to follow through with those little steps toward a goal if you stay cognizant of the difference they make in your life? All the scales I practiced on the piano were always perceived by me to be a necessary evil rather than a building block upon which I could expand my skill and ability. The hours my first instructor forced me to stand in a horse stance continue to serve me well and have allowed me to broaden my knowledge beyond what I had ever imagined, yet at the time I only saw it as a tool to test my resolve and commitment. How much easier would it have been for me if I would have altered my perspective to see it as an exercise that was actually expanding my power?
Our school’s Adopt-A-Driveway project is an excellent example of how our actions affect our attitudes and at the end of the day our attitudes have the greatest influence on the scope of our accomplishments. It definitely gives your sense of self worth a boost when you see the look of appreciation on the face of those senior citizens while they peer out their windows to watch us clear their sidewalks and driveways of snow.
A simple act can go a long way in making us more cognizant, engaged human beings whose power forever expands.
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” - Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)
1 comment:
I have this on what I call my "Sanity Bulletin Board" where I keep a collection of things that help me to keep my perspective during the down times with my health.
Enjoy!
"Attitude" by Chuck Swindol
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important then appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…
We are in charge of our ATTITUDES.
Darnell McKinley
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