There are things that we learn in our lives which affect your whole outlook on life and in general the direction in which your life turns. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. Sometimes it's a saying, sometimes a gift, sometimes a small mercy from a stranger. Never know when a life changing moment will crop up.
I could come up with a great number of life changing moments but in the sake of brevity I'll narrow it down to two : An idea and A Poem.
An Idea
One thing I heard which changed my entire viewpoint on life probably came from a church service. Honestly though I can't pinpoint exactly where I heard it. Once I heard it the idea stuck and became a pillar of how I live my life.
A simple phrase "Don't let the Devil steal your Happiness"
Very simple phrase but when I took time to think about it my whole viewpoint changed. Happiness, Contentment, Joy, Peace, and other good mental states don't just happen they are gifts. They are precious gifts that can be snatched away if your careless.
While you may not believe in the Devil. I certainly believe that the world will snatch away happiness and other good feelings if you let it. A careless word from a stranger. Getting cut off in traffic. Being just a little short of cash to buy something you really want. There are any number of things that can steal your good mood!
Once I got in the habit of thinking of those bad times as thieves determined to steal my happiness then my fight mode kicks in. I don't want anyone or anything stealing what is precious to me. Why should I let some careless stranger or random event steal my happiness?
Fighting to keep my happiness is only part of the puzzle. It is the determination and mindset to keep on going that are truly important. That is summed up in a poem that was given to me once.
A Poem
When I was 22yrs old my girlfriend at the time gave me a picture to hang on my wall. Well, more of a poem than a picture but I hope you get the idea. When I first got the gift I had no idea what hidden meaning it could have behind it. However, I certainly gave the poem a lot of thought and in the end it has come to define a lot of what I do.
Thinking
By: Walter D. Wintle published in Unity, 1905
If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't.
It's almost certain you won’t.
If you think you'll lose, you’re lost;
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will—
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are;
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.
From that poem I learned that a lot of life is about the mindset you go into it with. Again it ties back to "I'm not letting the Devil steal my Happiness" but it goes further than that.
Before I step into the Pharmacy for my shift I take a moment to tell myself "I can do this!" Sure the day may be awful (many days in the Pharmacy are) but if I went into my shift with the thought "This is going to be awful" then the thought becomes self fulfilling.
When I'm having a tough day with my marriage (Yes, it happens). I take a moment and think to myself "I can get through this" and for almost 25 years I have. If I went through those times with the mindset that this is too hard or this isn't worth it then I doubt I'd still be married today.
It may be cliche but mindset if everything. If you think you are doomed--you are. If you think you are too weak--you are. If you think you can't get up after you fall--you won't. Sure life beats me up sometimes and leaves me in tears hiding under the covers. Sure I look at problems that seem unsurmountable sometimes and despair that there is simply no way forward. At those moments I have the option to give up or get up again.
Someday I may not have the strength to keep going. Someday the world might win. However, for all that I am I'll fight and try to keep the mindset that With God's help I can get through anything
Ending Note
It has likely been over 30 years since I saw the girl who gave me that poem. Things ended badly and I didn't have the Wisdom or experience to make that relationship work. Haven't kept in touch and there are certainly some sad feelings but that poem has always been a bright spot.
Something to cherish.
Thanks for reading
and as always, feel free to comment (I love comments)