Chapter 31 Section 6 Seeing the positive side of things

There are two main goals in life, one, to have what you want and two, to enjoy them.Only a wise person can do the second point. Think of the blessings you have from God, and you will have no more worries. I've known Harold for a long time. He lives in Missouri and used to be my speaking tour manager.We met once in Kansas City, and he drove me back to the farm.I asked him on the way how he overcame his worries, and he told a story that I will never forget. I used to worry a lot, but one day in the spring of 1934, a sight I saw in a street drove all my worries away.The back and forth process took less than 10 seconds, but in those 10 seconds, I learned more than in the past 10 years.I have been running a grocery store for two years and not only have I used up all my savings, but I have a huge debt that will take seven years to pay off.The grocery store was closed on the Saturday before that day.I was going to the bank to borrow some money so I could get off to Kansas City and get a job.Like a defeated rooster, I lost my fighting spirit and confidence.Suddenly, I saw a legless man coming across the street. He was sitting on a small wooden plank with four rollers made of roller skate wheels, holding a piece of wood in each hand to support himself on the ground.He crossed the street and was about to lift himself up a few inches to cross the road and onto the sidewalk.As he struggled to lift the board beneath him, his eyes met mine and he gave me a broad smile. "Good morning, sir! It's a fine day, isn't it?" His voice was full of life.I looked at him and couldn't help feeling how rich I was.I have two legs, I can walk, and I'm ashamed of my self-pity.I told myself that a person who has lost his legs can still be happy, joyful, and confident, and since I still have my legs, I can do that too.I suddenly felt more energetic.Originally I was only going to borrow $100, now I have the courage to ask for $200.I was just going to try and see if I could get a job, but now, I feel confident declaring that I'm going to get a job.I got a loan and got a job.

Now I have a quote on my bathroom mirror that I read every morning when I shave: "I was sad because I didn't have shoes, and suddenly I met a person without feet, and my sadness disappeared immediately." There was an article in Time magazine about a non-commissioned officer who was wounded in the South Pacific.He was shot in the throat with splinters and received seven blood transfusions.He wrote a note to the doctor: "Can I live?" The doctor replied, "Yes." He wrote, "Can I still talk?" The answer was also yes.He wrote another note: "Then what else should I worry about?"

Why don't you ask yourself right now, "What the hell am I worrying about?" You'll probably find that what you're worrying about is neither important nor meaningful. These two words can be seen in many churches in the UK: "Sien." We should also bear these two words deeply in our hearts.Think of all the things we should be grateful for, and be truly grateful. The author, Swift, can be regarded as the most pessimistic person in the history of English literature. He felt that he should not have been born at all. On his birthday, he often wore black mourning clothes to fast.Even in that despair he did not forget that only a happy state of mind can bring health.He has declared:

"The best doctor in the world is one who eats well and maintains a peaceful and happy mood." If we wanted to, we could be content with what we have—perhaps better than Ali Baba's treasure.How about giving you 100 million yuan in exchange for your eyes?How much are two feet worth?Where are your hands?What about hearing?your children?your family?Calculate the assets you own, and you will find that even if you were given all the wealth in the world, you would not be willing to sell what you have now. But do we appreciate what we have?oh!No!Schopenhauer said: "We seldom think about what we have, but always think about what we don't have. This tendency is really one of the most unfortunate things in the world. It brings more disasters than all war diseases."

My friend Ruth, too, nearly turned into tragedy by worrying about what she lacked. We met a few years ago in a journalism writing class at Columbia University, and she told me about an experience she had: "My schedule was packed, taking organ lessons at Arizona State University, teaching an oratory class in one city, and teaching music appreciation in another. I was busy attending parties, dancing, and riding horses under the stars. Until One morning I had a total breakdown. The doctor said 'you'll have to stay in bed for a year'. He didn't give me the slightest bit of confidence that I would ever be healthy again.

"Lying in bed for a year! It's a waste, I might as well die. I was terrified, why did this happen to me? What did I do to others to deserve this kind of retribution? I cried for a long time and couldn't accept it. However, I followed the doctor's instructions and stayed in bed. The neighbor Rudolph, an artist, came to see me and told me, 'You think it's miserable to lie in bed for a year , In fact, you don’t have to think this way, you can use this time to really understand yourself, and your spiritual growth in these few months can be equivalent to your past decades’. I slowly calmed down and began to work hard to build Another set of values. I read some inspiring books. One day I heard an announcer on the radio say 'what you show is always a reflection of what's inside you'. I've heard this before and didn't know it How many times, but this time it really took root. I started thinking about the thoughts that kept me alive—some happy, healthy thoughts. Every morning when I woke up, I forced myself to think about what I should have So grateful for the world that I have no pain in my body, I have a lovely little daughter, my sight, my hearing, good music on the radio, time to read, good food, some good friends, With so many visitors, the doctor had to limit the number of visits to one at a time—and there was a time limit.

“I have been able to lead a rich, active life for many years, and I am deeply grateful for the year I lay in bed, the most rewarding and happiest I have had in Arizona. I made a habit of counting the happiness I have every morning and I still do it. It has become my most valuable possession. I have to admit that I didn't really live until I was afraid of death .” My dear Ruth, you may not know it, but you are learning exactly the same lesson that the English writer Johnson discovered 200 years ago.Johnson once said: "To see the best in everything and make it a habit is a real gem."

Let me remind you that the man who said this was not a professional optimist. In fact, he suffered from anxiety, hunger, and poverty for more than two decades. critic. Logan Smith has a saying of wisdom: "There are two main goals in life, first, to have what you desire; second, to enjoy them. Only the wisest of men can achieve the second."