I recently watched a short video clip of a couple loading up the car for a road trip.
After some final items and snacks were placed in the backseat,
The driver got behind the wheel,
Put on his seatbelt,
And just as his girlfriend opened the passenger door,
He turned to her and asked,
Hey,
Did you bring it?
Bring what?
She asked.
A good attitude.
She laughed and said,
Nope,
I forgot it,
As she jokingly walked back to the front door of the house,
Took a deep breath,
And then got back into the car and said,
I'm so excited,
Let's go.
I have officially adopted this practice since watching the video,
And regularly turn to the person I'm with and ask,
Hey,
Did you bring it?
We both laugh,
Yep,
My good attitude is right here.
It reminds me of when Carol moved in with her son in Europe after her husband passed away.
On the flight over,
Her son described the neighborhood to her in the house,
And she smiled and said,
Oh,
I love it.
He chuckled and said,
But you haven't even seen it yet.
To which she replied,
Whether or not I love it has nothing to do with what color you painted the room or how you've arranged the furniture.
It has everything to do with my outlook,
And I've already decided that I love it and I'm excited about this new chapter of my life.
Much like the couple going on that road trip,
The most important thing to pack is a good attitude.
So,
As you start a new day today,
A new year,
A new beginning in your life with the next breath,
Or the one after that,
Keep this in mind.
If you are going to Antarctica,
You would pack warm clothes,
Boots,
And a heavy jacket,
Right?
Some gloves,
A scarf,
Maybe.
But if you wanted to enjoy a tropical vacation on the beautiful island of Palau,
You would only need shorts,
A tank top,
And some sandals.
Yet,
If you visit the Pacific Northwest,
Where one day's weather can fluctuate from cold and rainy to warm and sunny,
It's best to pack and wear multiple layers because the experience you have in each location has everything to do with how prepared you are.
So,
What's in your suitcase today?
Patience,
Optimism,
Hope,
Resilience,
Acceptance,
And serenity?
Or are you full of frustration,
Resentment,
Annoyance,
Resistance,
Fear,
Bitterness,
Irritation,
Impatience,
And anger?
Your experience will be determined by what you pack,
Not by anything or anyone else.
You decide what kind of year you're going to have.
So,
What's it going to be?
There's a short story that's been circulating and attributed to so many different people,
The origin is irrelevant,
But remembering to apply its lesson is very important.
You hold a cup of coffee in your hand when somebody bumps into you,
Spilling coffee everywhere.
Why did you spill coffee?
Most people say it's because someone bumped into you.
But the reason you spilled coffee is because coffee was what was in your cup.
If you had water in your cup,
You would have spilled water.
So,
When life bumps into you,
Rattles and shakes you,
And it will,
What will spill out of you?
Will it be anger,
Rage,
Self-pity,
Resentment,
Fear?
Or will it be love,
Compassion,
Understanding,
Patience,
And hope?
You decide what to fill yourself with.
You've heard it said that we are what we eat,
And we don't just eat with our mouths,
We also consume with our eyes and our ears.
So,
What are you pouring into your cup?
Because that's what's going to spill out of you when life gets bumpy.
What kind of day you're going to have is up to you,
Not anyone else.
So,
Decide wisely.
What's in your cup?
What's in your suitcase?
What's in your heart?
I hope it's kindness and generosity,
Love,
Patience,
Understanding,
Empathy,
Compassion,
Accountability,
Resilience,
Determination,
Gentleness,
And consideration.
We all can use a refill.
So,
Share this with others so that all of our cups are filled with what we need the most.
Thank you.
I can't do this alone.
You are a soldier of peace in the army of love.
Your participation is essential.
I appreciate you.
