Everything Under the Moon

Looking At Each Day

She is 92 years old,
petite, well poised, and proud.
She is fully dressed each morning
by eight o'clock, with her hair
fashionably coifed, and her makeup
perfectly applied, in spite of the fact
she is legally blind.

Today she has moved to a nursing home.
Her husband of 70 years recently passed away,
making this move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently i
n the lobby of the nursing home,
where I am employed,
she smiled sweetly when told
her room was ready.

As she maneuvered
her walker to the elevator,
I provided a visual description
of her tiny room,
including the eyelet curtains
that had been hung on her window.

"I love it," she stated
with the enthusiasm
of an eight-year-old
having just been presented
with a new puppy.

"Mrs. Jones,
you haven't seen the room...
just wait," I said.

Then she spoke these words
that I will never forget:

"That does not have
anything to do with it,"
she gently replied.

"Happiness is something
you decide on ahead of time.

Whether I like my room or not,
does not depend on how
the furniture is arranged.
It is how I arrange my mind.
I have already decided to love it.

It is 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 I can get out of bed and be thankful
for the ones that do work.
Each day is a gift,
and as long as my eyes open,
I will focus on the new day
and all of the happy memories
I have stored away...
just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account.
You withdraw from what
you have already put in.

I believe-
that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible
for who we become.

I believe-
that no matter how good
a friend is,
they're going to hurt you
every once in a while
and you must
forgive them for that.

I believe-
that just because
someone doesn't love you
the way you want them to
doesn't mean
they don't love you
with all they have.

I believe-
that true friendship
continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I believe-
that it's taking me
a long time to become
the person I want to be.

I believe-
that you should always
leave loved ones
with loving words.
It may be the last time
you will ever see them.

I believe-
that you can keep going,
long after you can't.

I believe-
that we are responsible
for what we do,
no matter
how we feel.

I believe-
that either you control your attitude
or it controls you.

I believe-
that heroes are the people
who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.

I believe-
that money
is a lousy way
of keeping score.

I believe-
that my best friend and I can
do anything or nothing
and have the best time.

I believe-
that sometimes the people you expect
to kick you when you're down,
will be the ones
to help you get back up.


I believe-
that sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me
the right to be cruel.


I believe-
that maturity
has more to do with
what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them
and less to do
with how many birthdays
you've celebrated.

I believe-
that it isn't always enough
to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to
learn to forgive yourself.

I believe-
that no matter how bad
your heart is broken
the world doesn't stop
for your grief.

I believe-
that just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do.

I believe-
that you shouldn't be so eager
to find out a secret.
It could change
your life forever.

I believe-
that two people
can look at the exact same thing
and see something
totally different.

I believe-
that your life can be changed
in a matter of hours
by people who don't
even know you.

I believe-
that even when you think
you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you
you will find the strength to help.

I believe-
that credentials on the wall
do not make you
a decent human being.

I believe-
that the people
you care about most in life
are taken from you too soon.

A beautiful poem,with much wisdom. This jumped out at me ......




I believe-
that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible
for who we become.


A tenet I live by.

but we are responsible
for who we become.

I have created myself inside and out but I'm still stuck in the wrong place if that makes sense. I'm just working hard at this getting to be who I really am. I feel like my life was stolen.

That says more...it takes a lifetime to realize it all.
Thanks for sharing the poem.
It is quite true!

Yes it is nice isn't it.

Your insight is welcome.

I love the poem. I have been a nurses aide and have met some pretty remarkable elderly and some of them just like the lady you described. I wish I could have thier insight of a life well lived. Thank you so much for sharing.
Lylian