She
is 92 years old, petite, well poised, and
proud. She is fully dressed each
morning by eight o'clock, with her hair
fashionably coifed, and her makeup
perfectly applied, in spite of the fact
she is legally blind.
Today she has moved to a nursing home.
Her husband of 70 years recently passed
away, making this move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in
the lobby of the nursing home, where I am
employed, she smiled sweetly when told her
room was ready. As she maneuvered
her walker to the elevator, I provided a
visual description of her tiny room,
including the eyelet curtains that had
been hung on her window.
"I love it," she stated with the
enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having
just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the
room...just wait," I said.
Then she spoke these words that I will
never forget: "That does not have anything
to do with it," she gently replied.
"Happiness is something you decide on
ahead of time. Whether I like my
room or not, does not depend on how the
furniture is arranged. It is how I
arrange my mind. I have already
decided to love it. It is 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 I can get out of bed and be
thankful for the ones that do work. Each
day is a gift, and as long as my eyes
open, I will focus on the new day and all
of the happy memories I have stored
away...just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You
withdraw from what you have already put
in."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I believe---
that our background and circumstances may
have influenced who we are, but we are
responsible for who we become.
I believe---
that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a
while and you must forgive them for that.
I believe---
that just because someone doesn't love you
the way you want them to doesn't mean they
don't love you with all they have.
I believe---
that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance. Same goes
for true love.
I believe---
that it's taking me a long time to become
the person I want to be.
I believe---
that you should always leave loved ones
with loving words. It may be the last time
you see them.
I believe---
that you can keep going, long after you
can't.
I believe---
that we are responsible for what we do, no
matter how we feel.
I believe---
that either you control your attitude or
it controls you.
I believe---
that heroes are the people who do what has
to be done when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.
I believe---
that money is a lousy way of keeping
score.
I believe---
that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.
I believe---
that sometimes the people you expect to
kick you when you're down, will be the
ones to help you get back up.
I believe---
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the
right to be angry, but that doesn't give
me the right to be cruel.
I believe---
that maturity has more to do with what
types of experiences you've had and what
you've learned from them and less to do
with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I believe---
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven
by others. Sometimes you have to learn to
forgive yourself.
I believe---
that no matter how bad your heart is
broken the world doesn't stop for your
grief.
I believe---
that just because two people argue, it
doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue, it
doesn't mean they do.
I believe---
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out
a secret. It could change your life
forever.
I believe---
that two people can look at the exact same
thing and see something totally different.
I believe---
that your life can be changed in a matter
of hours by people who don't even know
you.
I believe---
that even when you think you have no more
to give, when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.
I believe---
that credentials on the wall do not make
you a decent human being.
I believe---
that the people you care about most in
life are taken from you too soon.
Send this to the people YOU BELIEVE in. I
just did
Unknown Author
