_ - _ E L I X I R E S S _ - _

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. "I choose to be in a good mood.          

"Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of     life. I choose the positive side of life." "Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes, it is," Michael said. 

"Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. "You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.          

"The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life." I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.          

Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be-born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."          

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Michael continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. "In their eyes, I read, 'he's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. "Yes", I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. "I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity.'

"Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.          

Attitude, after all, is everything.          

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry     about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Sunflower Photo Caption
"The Holy Trinity" 

Music: " Keeper" === I got it from a funpage sent to me by a friend.

www.one-angel.net

*** Jitters ***

This story had been forwarded to me by my classmate, Jennifer, and to all the other members of the mailing list. I find it very touching and very relational... if that is indeed the right word to describe it. It is very nice to share that is why this is also here.

I have no idea of the origin of this story. I do not even know if this is copyrighted. It's just that this story has no source when I got it. If ever I'll get a link to the source, I will link back to it so I won't be accused of plagiarism.

Looking Deeper...

I love the story. There is a big lesson in life behind. I love the lines of Michael. He's very philosophical. When he said that we make the choice how people affect our mood. Indeed, he's right. Everyday, I feel sad. I know I could not please everybody but it is not a very grave reason why people should HATE me.

Yes, there are people who hate me and I just do not know why but they keep on showing it to me. I just pray for them. Well, this story then is good. I've learned from it. Yes, Michael was right again. We make the choices how we will live this thing called life. Everyday as I wake up, I know that those people who hate me still exist. It's up for me then to adjust with them since I always see them...meet them daily. I am aware of how they feel but I am very innocent on their unsubstantial reason. But come to think of it, I can always choose to be happy and live life as if nothing bad is happening; or I can choose to live my life in misery and hide the pain all my life.

I chose to live happily, but I couldn't hide the pain. What can I do then? Which choice is better? The only thing left for me to do is to pray and pray and pray that God will guide me and enlighten their minds through the Holy Spirit.

It's not my choice to hate people 'coz it's a sin. Only God has the choice about this life we borrowed and I know that everything will be alright because God loves me and everyone else. What's the proof? Look at the picture above. That was HIS CHOICE. He gave us His only Son.