I was at the McLennan arena the other
day and I watched with other parents and grandparents a
really good hockey game. Kids from both teams played well
and our grandson, Nick played goal for the first time. He,
like other young kids who play goal, go though a lot of
body expressions. Sometimes he looked like Tommy Salo or
Grant Fuhr concentrating on form and the game. At other
times he would skate around the goal or just lay down in
front of the net watching for the play to come to his end.
I was impressed with the whole experience
and even though Nick's team lost 6-5, everyone felt good.
It wasn't until I went into the dressing room that I heard
some distressing remarks. One of the parents, rather than
patting the kids on the back for a game well played, started
making excuses for the loss. He blamed the referee, suggesting
maybe we should bring our own referee next time. As far
as I was concerned, the game was fairly reffed. The kids
weren't complaining, nor the coaches.
Why do so many people in our society refuse
to accept the responsibility for their actions? Why do they
have to blame someone or something else? We know they will
accept accolades for their successes but its easy to count
the people who will accept responsibility for their failures.
To me it seems as though we have switched
many of our principles and life positive values for negative
ones. For us as parents and grandparents, the challenge
is in developing character and values in future generations.
We must encourage them to internalize the integrity and
other character traits. We want the kids to see connections
between themselves and others and treat each other with
respect and caring. We, as adults, can't expect the kids
to develop these morals. We must be positive role models.
Norman Vincent Peale has a nine step program for a healthy,
happy and positively successful life:
1. Stamp indelibly on your mind a mental
picture of yourself succeeding.
2. When a negative thought comes to your mind, replace it
with a positive thought.
3. Don't overestimate obstacles, minimize them and deal
honestly with them.
4. Be your own person, don't initiate others or be star-struck.
5. Say to yourself: 'If God be with us who can be against
us'? (Romans 8:31).
6. Get a confidant or competent counselor to help understand
your self doubt and fears.
7. Practice by saying 'What the mind of man can conceive
and believe, it can achieve.' Earl Nightingale.
8. Make a true estimate of your own ability, then raise
it 10%. Believe in your own God-given powers.
9. Remind yourself that God is with you and nothing can
defeat you. Believe that you have received power from Him.
There is no doubt, that if each
of us follow these nine steps, our personal lives, our professional
lives and social lives will be greatly improved. There is
a high probabilty that you will live a longer, heatiher
and happier life.
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