Attitude

Today is not just any Monday for me.  Since November, I’ve been working as co-chairman of Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe’s Inaugural festivities – a total of 8 events over a 28-hour period of time.  Thank goodness for outstanding colleagues.  Four years ago I served in the same capacity, with great colleagues then too.  But honestly, my teammates at CJRW have picked up so much more of the responsibility than four years ago, and I just couldn’t do all of this without them.  I’m so grateful. 

The only thing that might be more challenging than a worn out body from cancer treatment would be planning an event like this with six inches of snow on the ground.  The snow has blanketed most of the state, making it difficult for some to travel for the festivities.  When you’ve ordered the flowers, food, bands and the rest, there is no way you can postpone an event of this magnitude. 

So much for Plan A.  Today I’ve moved into Plan B and Plan C.  Sometimes I’m just making up new rules and plans along the way.  But it’s going to be great, no matter how many manage to be able to get out from under this snow.  For those of us there, it will be a great time, a wonderful celebration of making profound progress in Arkansas.  

While sitting at my desk this afternoon, fielding calls and reading countless emails, I opened my lap drawer and immediately put my hands on a card given to me many years ago by a friend from Tupelo, MS.  The card reads: 

Attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, and a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will 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.

This is a quote from Rev. Charles Swindoll, and I have no reason to believe that finding this card today was an accident.  I probably haven’t had my hands on this card for four or five years.  But today it finds me.  I needed to read this today. 

As a former boss used to say:  A healthy attitude is contagious but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.