Monday 25 January 2010

Compliments vs. complaints

Compliments


Isn't it amazing how frugal some are with compliments?
They negate not from our power.
They are free,
can be delivered daily.
They have the power to uplift a soul.
Now give it back and pay it forward to someone!
Find something good to say about each person you meet.
I used to have parents write an affirmation letter before parent/teacher interviews.
So much time we spend correcting behaviour rather than affirming the  wonderful people we know.
Now is a good time to encourage the positive!

Complaints
We live in a wonderful world.
The beauty of having a vacation in Muskoka is time away from home and work, in a new environment. And, yes, a change is as good as a rest.
It lets us rejuvenate and play. Many complain: too cold, too hot, too much rain, not enough snow. But I have photos from last summer where we were playing in the water with an adorable granddaughter.

My friend wrote:
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find SOMETHING wonderful in this crappy January thaw today...

Anything...  the horses are stuck inside because of the risk of slipping. The deer are extremely annoyed. The chickens have decided to remain roosting.  I have tourists arriving at the resort, who can't ski... or snowshoe... or even skate, and will get bored playing Monopoly and Scrabble very quickly.

So help me find the brighter side of the darker weather!

n.

My answer:
We do not live in Haiti.
It can't get any simpler than that.

We have food, clothing, water and opportunities, the greatest of which is visiting with fabulous hosts, like yourself who abound in Muskoka, and a chance to sit by the fire, which dispels the damp, to share, play games, and enjoy one another.

Most of us have understood this viewpoint of gratitude:  International Cooperation over Haiti
Most of us have lost no one due to tragic fate, like an earthquake. Or due to crushed limbs, amputation, gangrene, lack of morphine, pain killers and anitbiotics. We have universal health care.


It is their choice. One can be positive or be negative, a half full or half empty person. It is all in your attitude. You can compliment or you can complain.


My thought for the day?
I am grateful for this new bird feeder, for example.
The squirrels have yet to figure it out. It's been a month, this was a Lee Valley gift from my favourite pregnant daughter, and I choose to optimistic! I *know* they will figure it out, but so far, so good!

Life is good! I cannot complain.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Kudos for your post on compliments vs. complaints. It must be easier to complain. Why else wouldn't we choose to complain more than compliment, especially since we all like compliments!

Nancy Tapley said...

I'm giving odds that the squirrels will have this figured out in minutes, but watching them do it will be entertaining! Quite true, no hurricanes, volcanoes, earthquakes, floods or famine looming over us, ant the temperature is dropping again. It's all good.... but I still say that rain in January is just wrong...

Cloudia said...

I am grateful for you, my friend.


Aloha, Dear Friend!


Comfort Spiral

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Life is good and I too do not complain.
Your list of things to be grateful for is a good one. Unfortunately for us south of your border, we cannot include universal health care on our list. (We are old so we are insured, but too may others are not. This is very wrong; I wish our country could listen to you guys who know how to do it.)

Jenn Jilks said...

You know, Nancy, I have photos of rain LAST January! It is wrong. And I feel badly for people, like you, with marvellous resorts, like Bondi.

This w/e would have been the one my family visited yours when I was a teen, flexible, and able to downhill ski! Fond memories.

I hope we don't get more grumpy citiots complaining about Muskoka weather! Today it is snowing merrily.

Andy, yes, Sallie, it is a shame that those with positions of power cannot see how beneficial universal health care can be.