Looking At Each Day

Looking At Each Day
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.