Let me share with you a personal experience of mine.
You may have heard me say or post “Be happy, it’s a choice.”
Well, I’ve heard of some… opinions that disagree with that statement.
Ideas like,
“...circumstances determine our attitude and behavior.
For example, if someone murdered a family member of yours,
you WILL feel sad, mourn, and be angry… it’s NATURAL.”
I’d like to illustrate how we can CONTROL the outcome of any situation.
Here’s how it goes:
I had made an exodus from Walmart to the Newgate Mall, which
really was further away than I like to travel. There I was shopping
for some clothes, something I was not looking forward to because
my expectations were to be pressured to buy some dumb outfit
that I was not interested in.
Also I was hoping to drop in on a friend. After about 45 mins. of
finding and trying out about a dozen shirts, I found some that I
liked. After seeing the cheap price they were listed for, I checked
to see that I had the money in my wallet to purchase them. To my
surprise, it wasn’t in my pocket.
I don’t know if you have had this experience before, but my mind just instantly
clicked to a knowledge that It fell out as I was driving my motorcycle to the mall.
I looked up at the man who had been helping me and expressed my dilemma. In
a sigh, I expressed my frustration that I would be spending the rest of the evening
driving up and down where I had traveled in search of my wallet.
In hopes to brighten up that immediate sad moment, and accomplish part of the
reason I even went to that mall, I thought i’d try to visit my friend in the store
next door. To my dismay, I walked out shortly after entering because she
wasn’t there.
Now I my shoulders fell lower and my feet were dragging across the
ground as I repeated the following: Traveled all the way up here, spent
forever looking for a shirt to only find one, found out I lost my wallet, my
friend wasn’t even working, I’m going to have to order a new license, cancel
my bank card and get a new one, lost the cash I had along with other
membership cards and my temple recommend.
Now i’ll have to spend forever looking on the street for it, and chances are
it fell out on the freeway which is going to be impossible to spot…
I just clouded my mind with the negative circumstances my day had
pressed upon me. It seemed like the devil himself was after me.
JUST at that moment I stopped this foreshadow and I asked myself, should
I be angry or happy? Why should I let my day decide my level of joy?
Then I rewrote my story and told myself that today I had made an exodus
from my friendly Walmart to the Newgate Mall, where I was shopping for
some clothes and attempting to visit my fashion expert friend. In doing
so I met a great gentleman who wasn’t pushy at all and went completely
out of his way to help me go through numerous shirts (which we both knew
he would have to refold) just to help me find something I liked.
When I realized I lost my wallet I looked up at the man helping me and
expressed that I would have to come back later to make the purchase,
but now I get the opportunity to go on a treasure hunt. My friend wasn’t
there which means she was off of work probably doing something fun
and there are always other days to make a visit. And now that it’s
evening, this bike ride will be nice and cool.
It’s within my power simply to turn my day around and CHOOSE my reactions
to situations and literally MAKE it a great day.
My wallet was found. I could complain about what was lost, but instead
I actually am enjoying the possibilities of what someone would buy with
$60, what they would find interesting if they visit mormon.org, or what
books they might check out with my library card.
Be happy, it’s a choice!
