Reflections

Recently, I have been reflecting on the power of positive thinking and the importance of family and I have come to several conclusions.
First, the power of positive thinking is real. If I embrace it more fully I will live a more full and joyous life. Period. End of story.
Second, a more positive outlook will save my life, literally. I believe stress kills and I have felt its debilitating affects when I have dwelled on the rain instead of the sunshine. That is not to say that this is some magical cure for stress, it’s certainly not. In our modern society stress is as much a part of life as a commute to work or a trip to the grocery store. And there are certainly times when stress inducing events come at us like a freight train and we are helpless as it runs over us. However, we must get up and press forward. If we lay there and dwell on the tragedy and our recent misfortune for so long that we get crushed by another passing train, who is there to blame but ourselves?
Third, I have a choice. I can be positive or negative. Up or down. Short term events may temporarily derail my happiness, but I have a choice. Only I can make the decision to control my environment and not let it control me. We can have positive or negative thoughts occupy our mind. The more positive thoughts we have the less time for the pessimism and despair to creep in and destroy our lives.
Fourth, family, friends and close associates are life’s most cherished blessings. They can provide comfort during times of pain and shelter during seasons of tempest. They can also be the source of joy as they provide perspective and help us see beyond our individual circumstances. Nevertheless, this kind shoulder can quickly wear thin when overused. Those closest to us have their own challenges and difficulties. We must not look to them solely during our storms for refuge but also during our summer of happiness when we can share a kind word and a happy thought to brighten their day. It goes without saying that we need to offer our strong arm of support during times of difficulty for those we love and respect. Their time of trial will come and we have an obligation to be there with open arms to assist. This reciprocation is mutually beneficial and this process renews our commitment to each other and strengthens our common bonds. In contrast, when there is substantial, consistent, and long-standing imbalance in the “caring process” relationships will suffer and resentment can occur.
Fifth, I need to improve my outlook. I believe “always improving” was Elder Wirthlin’s motto and I think I will adopt that.

P.S. A few minutes after writing this I got a ticket for talking on the cell phone without an earpiece. I just laughed at the irony!