The Best Day Ever
By Paula Friedrichsen
My father traveled from Southern California
a few weeks ago to go skiing with his friends.
This is an annual event, in which he and
several of his racquet-club buddies stay
at a local hotel, dine out, and ski until
they drop. And because this trip is planned
far in advance, they go regardless of the
snow conditions. This particular week there
was just a small amount of man-made snow.
When I asked him how the skiing was, he
informed me "It was the best day ever!"
Dad has been skiing for over forty years,
in every imaginable condition. He has skied
in whiteout blizzards, where you couldn't
see your hand in front of your face. He
has skied in brilliantly sunny days of fresh
powder and no crowds. I remember skiing
with him as a teenager and waiting in agonizingly
long lift lines (this was before the days
of high speed chair lifts). He has skied
in temperatures too cold for any human (in
their right mind) to be outside. Regardless
of the circumstances or conditions, whenever
I asked, "How was skiing Dad?"
- he always responded the same way, "It
was the best day ever!"
Skiing is not the only thing that makes
Dad happy. He has the same positive attitude
about his job. For twenty-five years he
was a fireman, and if you asked him how
he liked it, he would tell you that it was
"the best job ever!" After retiring
from the fire department, he became a licensed
contractor. And again, if you were to ask
him how he liked being a builder, he would
tell you that it was a wonderful job and
he loved it!
Dad's attitude towards life has taught
me an invaluable lesson: life holds such
hope and promise for the person who positions
his attitude for joy and success. One of
the definitions for the word "attitude"
is perspective. And I have had the pleasure
of being raised and loved by a father who
usually chooses to stay in a positive frame
of mind - which helps him to face each new
situation expecting the best outcome.
Maintaining this positive, happy attitude
has not always been easy for Dad, either.
On occasion he has been negative or grouchy
(hiding his face in a book, refusing to
say even two intelligible words to my mother.
But he always pulls himself out of it and
works himself back to that optimistic place
of rejoicing in life.
When I was about eleven, Dad gave me a
poster with a quote by Abraham Lincoln:
"Most people are about as happy as
they make up their minds to be." I
can certainly attest to the fact that a
positive attitude (in addition to the most
important component to happiness - a personal
relationship with God) opens the door and
rolls out the red carpet - for joy.
When it comes to a happy, positive outlook
on life - take it one day at a time:
Today the sun is shining; fresh snow blankets
our small town like a spotless white carpet;
I have a family that loves me; my fat little
lap dog is asleep by the fire; a chicken
is roasting in the oven, perfuming the house
with an intoxicating aroma - and you know
what? It's the best day ever!
Paula Friedrichsen is a Christian
speaker and newspaper columnist from Mammoth
Lakes, California. Her seminar, "The
Abundant Life" is a three-fold teaching
designed to lead people into greater fulfillment
- spiritually, physically, and relationally.
To find out more about this seminar or other
topics that Paula presents, visit her website
at www.pfministries.com
or call 760-935-4295.
Do
you know God personally? Read:
Peace with God
