Today I was driving to my writing office in Burbank and noticed something: Dusky grey clouds are actually quite beautiful.
Up until now, I've always seen them as a precursor to a storm -- a blocker to an otherwise sunny day.
Once I noticed the beauty in the storm clouds, my stress lifted and I noticed it all day long, until they dissolved into a typical LA Spring day.
Are you letting an externality (weather, stock market, your SO's mood) ruin your day? Are you willing to stretch your perspective and find beauty in things or people that otherwise make you upset? If you are willing to, you'll behave better, be more likeable and enjoy your life.
When I thought about it, I was reminded of Dr. Viktor Frankl's wonderful book, Man's Search For Meaning. In the book he talks about our final freedom, the one that no one can take away from us: The freedom to choose how to respond to a situation. People don’t make you mad, you allow them to. Cloudy days don’t make you blue. You let them make you feel that way. Get the idea?
Photo credit: http://mnewmanphoto.com
Absolutely love this book! It should be required reading for every college age kid and young adult!
It's an easy read to... I read it the first time in an afternoon!
Ken Clark, CFP
CollegeSavings.About.com
Posted by: Ken Clark, CFP | April 04, 2008 at 08:36 AM
that's a nice spin to those days, though i do generally appreciate a cloudy day more than sunny days. :)
Posted by: tacoma florist | April 03, 2008 at 07:46 PM