Of all the Warm Thoughts columns I have ever written, perhaps the ones pertaining to "thoughts on attitude" have received the most favorable comments from my readers. Recently I read about Jerry who had a very positive attitude. It inspired me so much and it may have a positive effect on any summertime blues that may be coming our way in this season of the year.

Jerry was the kind of guy who was always in a good mood and had something positive to say at all times. He owned his own business and his employees love to work with him. He was a natural motivator. If an employee had a bad day, Jerry was there talking about how to look at the positive side of the situation. "Employees who learn from their mistakes are better employees," he would always say. When he was asked how he could be so positive, he would reply, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, 'Jerry, you have two choices today: You can choose to be in a good mood or a bad mood. I choose a good mood.' Each time something bad happens I can learn every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaints, or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive."

One day Jerry left the back door of his business open and he was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed off to the local trauma center. After eighteen hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of bullets still in his body. When asked what had gone through his mind when the robbery took place, he told his story: "The first thing was that I should have locked the back door. Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I choose to live. The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses I really got scared. In their eyes, I read, "He's a dead man." I just knew I needed to take action. But they were shouting questions at me. The nurse asked me if I was allergic to anything. "Yes," I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working just waiting for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Bullets!!" Over their laughter I told them I am choosing to live, operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." Yes, Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. We all can learn from him that every day we have a choice to live fully.

Winsome Words: The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Charles Swindoll. May you have many warm thoughts on attitude!

Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G Werner

Published in the Marion Record July 16th, 1998.

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Till next time,

Trina