Once there was an old, wise man. Every day he would sit outside a petrol station in his rocking chair and wait to greet motorists as they passed through his small town. One day, his granddaughter knelt down at the foot of his chair and passed the time with him. A stranger walked up and asked, ‘So what kind of town is this?’ The old man replied, ‘Well, what kind of town are you from?’ The stranger said, ‘In the town I'm from everyone is critical of each other. The neighbours all gossip about everyone, and it's a real negative place to live. It’s not a cheerful place.’ The old man looked at the stranger and said, ‘You know, that's just how this town is.’
An hour or so later a family passing through stopped for petrol. The father asked the old man, ‘Is this town a pretty good place to live?’ The man in the chair replied, ‘What about the town you’re from? How is it?’ The father said, ‘In the town I'm from everyone is very close and always willing to lend their neighbour a helping hand. There's always a hello and thank you everywhere you go.’ The older gentlemen gave the father a warm smile. ‘You know, that's a lot like this small town.’
After the family left, the granddaughter looked up at her grandfather and asked, ‘Grandpa, how come when the first man came you told him it was a terrible place to live and when the family came you told them it was a wonderful place to live?’ The grandfather looked down at this granddaughter and said, ‘No matter where you move, you take your own attitude with you and that's what makes it terrible or wonderful.’
Happiness is not something you find, it's something you create with your positive approach to every situation. A negative attitude breeds depression and pessimism.
HOW’S YOUR CITY?
