ATTITUDE

A while back I visited a Nursing home as I had a number of times in my life, and can tell you that they are some of saddest places on earth.

Upon this visit, I recall standing in the corridor looking around. I could see four elderly ladies all sitting in wheel chairs in a sitting room surrounded by glass. One lady was starring at the floor, two ladies were sitting beside each other mumbling words repeatedly to each other, and I am not sure if either one of them could understand the other, nevertheless, it appeared as if they were making some effort to keep each other company. One lady was sitting 4 feet from a table that had a glass of water on it. This precious lady kept bending over with an extended hand trying to reach the small plastic glass of water.

As I starred at them all, I wanted to run into that room and holler out, “Okay girls, get ready for some fun” with the hopes of jarring them out of their stupor of being paralyzed to their sadness and loneliness of just sitting there without anyone to interact with them.
It goes without saying that every elderly person that I came in contact with during my visit there got some kind of reaction from me.
I spoke to them, patted their hand, and smiled making effort to embrace their sadness, if for only a moment.

While I am very aware that for the most part these precious ladies all had some type of physical and or mental problem if for no other reason; their age; I know in my heart that they could feel and show happiness because of their response to me. Once I made the effort to make contact with them, they in turn despite whatever medication they were on to keep them immobilized; managed to reach back to me.
By the way for those of you left wondering; yes, I did push the little lady over to the table to get her water…..I just prayed that it was her water that she was drinking!

The shear fact that they were being pursued to have fellowship caused an emotion in them to reach back to me if even for a moment’s happiness and companionship.
They were so graciously grateful for that little bit of interaction and touch of human kindness. They simply made the choice to reach out and take some happiness for themselves if not for any other reason, but out of gratitude for me reaching out to them!

I believe that our gratitude has a lot to do with life’s satisfaction. If we can learn to savor even the smallest of pleasures, I believe that we would be a happier people. And last but not least, I also believe that keeping an attitude of forgiveness is the trait most strongly linked to real happiness; it has been said that, it is the queen of all virtues, and probably the hardest to come by. Many people are trapped inside themselves harboring unforgiveness that reeks pain and depression on them. If they would but embrace forgiveness, their lives would be set free. You see God’s word tell us that unless we forgive, we are not forgiven. I think this principle is passed over way to often. You show me a person that is unwilling to forgive and I will show you a person that is haunted with bouts of depression and a strong feeling of not feeling loved.
Even God said that you can not hate your brother and love Him. It is just not possible.

Sweet friend, please release whatever it is today that is holding you back from happiness and keep striving until you get a foothold on the answers that you are looking for. Remember, God is not absent during His silence….He is waiting for you to get to the place where you will see things His way and not your own! Happiness really is a choice, but we must choose it; every time some one reaches out to you in loving kindness. See it as the Hand of God reaching out to you to love on you!

I love you and pray peace and Happiness over you today and let's all choose to have "AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE" during these trying days. And may we all see and learn what our hard times are trying to teach us!

Hold Fast,

-Bren