Old Age is Like a Bank Account.
My sweet poppa sent me this story in an email today:
Something we should all remember.
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait..'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.
Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;
I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life..
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.
I am still depositing.
'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less
*********
I loved this little story SO much! Partly because I work with cute little old folks like the man mentioned, but also because it is SO true. Happiness really is something you decide on ahead of time. I've been trying my best to do this in my life, and I have found that an optimistic, happy state-of-mind prior to whatever you have to do makes all the difference. It can turn less-than-ideal experiences into better, sometimes even awesome, ones.
It makes me think though, is this true for people who are in situations of total heartache and chaos? I can think of a lot of heartbreaking situations that people that I love are in currently. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I have found that maintaining a sure faith in Jesus Christ does make this practice of choosing happiness beforehand possible. The knowledge that, because of His sacrifices, one day all wrongs will be made right and no more sorrow will be felt truly can make burdens become light.
Something we should all remember.
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait..'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.
Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;
I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life..
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.
I am still depositing.
'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less
*********
I loved this little story SO much! Partly because I work with cute little old folks like the man mentioned, but also because it is SO true. Happiness really is something you decide on ahead of time. I've been trying my best to do this in my life, and I have found that an optimistic, happy state-of-mind prior to whatever you have to do makes all the difference. It can turn less-than-ideal experiences into better, sometimes even awesome, ones.
It makes me think though, is this true for people who are in situations of total heartache and chaos? I can think of a lot of heartbreaking situations that people that I love are in currently. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I have found that maintaining a sure faith in Jesus Christ does make this practice of choosing happiness beforehand possible. The knowledge that, because of His sacrifices, one day all wrongs will be made right and no more sorrow will be felt truly can make burdens become light.
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