Welcome to Focused on the Positive!
This blog is designed to uplift and inspire, to encourage the idea that it is better to give service than be selfish. Let us celebrate all the good going on in the world, and choose to help those around us even in the smallest ways. Let's make a conscience choice to spread goodness. So, join in, and share anything positive that's happend lately, no matter how small. Whether it's a specific time when you chose to be kind when it was easier to get angry, or something small that made you smile. These experiences will be come infectious, and make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
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Let's get the ball rolling. I LOVE waking up to a clean house! It's like Christmas morning for me. This morning I woke up and the house was still clean. Yay! And as a bonus, it is not snowing yet. This is going to be a great day!
Today the thing that lifted my spirits the most was my grandson. It wasn't anything in particular he said or did...it was just that special feeling that swells inside me until I realize I can't stop smiling because I love him so much. I feel the same way with my beautiful granddaughters that I miss so much and can't get enough of. Just being with them or talking on the phone with them makes my day. I love being a grandma and I love my grandchildren. I am so blessed.
I would like to share with you something that made a profound difference in my life. I think we've all encountered that older person in our neighborhood that gets angry when at anyone who comes into their yard or space. When our kids were young we met Myrtle Lucas who was on constant "watch" for children who stepped into her driveway and was ready to yell. After observing this and thinking about what to do about it...many many years ago when Maria was 5 years old I decided to go pay Mrs. Lucas a visit. She welcomed me and was so happy for my visit. I didn't bring up my concern. I just visited with her. I noticed immediately that she no longer got angry at my children when they stepped into her driveway like she continued to do with the other children but greeted them. I continued to visit with her and we became good friends. She became not only friendly to my kids but kind. She even eased up on their friends. I realized that she was just so very lonely. The "mean old lady on the block" became the "nice lady on the block". I will never forget her and what I learned from that experience. Now when I meet someone who seems angry and mean I think about my friend Myrtle Lucas..and I think maybe they just need a friend. I remember one day when I went to see her after I had been busy with work and hadn't gone over for a couple of weeks, she told me that she hadn't spoken a single word to anyone in a week and was surprised to hear her voice. I will never forget that. My heart went out to her. I loved her then and even though she was in her eighties then and that was over 20 years ago and she is in a better place..I still think about her, miss her and love her. I learned so much from her and I hope others can learn from my experience with her.
I haven't figured out how to edit my comment. I know I had a typo in my last comment but more importantly I wanted to emphasize that when Myrtle told me that she hadn't spoken a word out loud in a week, she hadn't even heard herself speak. I couldn't imagine what that would be like. I've thought about that many times over the years. It's hard to imagine. She also told me that she hadn't been held or hugged until I came over. Sometimes it's something so little that we can do to make such a difference in someone's life. She let me know that I made a big impact on her life and I wish I'd known then how much of an impact she made on my life. I'm a better person because of what I learned from her.
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