What kind
of face do you present to the world?
It is not
surprising that a positive attitude helps you to cope more easily with the
daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier
to avoid worry and negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life, it will
bring constructive changes into your life, and make you happier, brighter and
more successful. With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life,
become optimistic and expect the best to happen. It is certainly a state of
mind that is well worth developing and strengthening.
There
is a story by Charles Swindoll who wrote about Thomas Jefferson, the third
President of the USA from 1801-1809, who was crossing a river that had
overflowed its banks.
Each
man crossed on horseback, fighting for his life against the raging waters. A
lone traveller watched the group traverse the treacherous river and then asked
President Jefferson to take him across. The President agreed without
hesitation. The man climbed on, and the two made it safely to the other side of
the river.
One
of the travellers asked the man, “Why did you choose the President to help
you?” The man was shocked, admitting he had no idea it was the President who
had carried him safely across. “All I know,” he said, “is that on some of your
faces was written the answer ‘No’ and on some of them was the answer ‘Yes’.
“His was a ‘Yes’ face.”
What
kind of face do you present to the world – a ‘Yes’ face or a ‘No’ face?
A
boy who wrestled as a sport wasn’t very good for a long time. His father would
tell him that it was because he didn’t want to win, explaining that wrestling
was a mental sport and if you didn’t have the ‘want’ to win, you never would.
Later in life the boy realised that his father was talking about the difference
between having a desire to win and being willing to do what it takes to win.
There is a big difference. We all have many desires, but the truth is that we
are not always willing to do what it takes to get them. They stay wishes, not
goals. We have to be willing to do what it takes to get there.
A
person with a ‘Yes’ face is willing and open to the opportunities of change. We
can all begin to make the choices, however small, that will start us down the
new road towards what we truly want. When we begin that change, the change is
always for the better. Mahatma Ghandi said, “You must be the change you want to
see in the world”.
We
begin the process of becoming who we truly can be – facing the world and all
its challenges with a ‘Yes’ face. Yes to all the possibilities of our
individual and unique life.
“The
most significant decision I make each day is my choice of an attitude. When my
attitudes are right there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream
too extreme and no challenge too great.” Charles Swindoll
The
advice is there for all of us . . . . Being open to become the best person we
can be by choosing to be positive and love others.
So what does a
"yes" face look like? Perhaps
it's kind and caring. Perhaps it isn't
all wrapped up in itself. Maybe the body
language of a "Yes" face says, "How can I help you?"
Another approach
might be that a "yes" face is one that says Yes to God's goodness;
yes to His presence; yes to His comfort; yes to His love.
All of our College patrons, Oscar Romero, St Mary MacKillop, Ursula Frayne, Frederick Ozanam, Irene McCormack and Rosendo Salvado presented a 'Yes Face' as they faced enormous challenges in championing the plight of the poor, marginalised and indigenous people of their time. They all demonstrated what can be achieved through a 'can do' attitude.
As
parents and teachers, we need to be conscious of the type of face we present to
our children and students. Do we present a face that inspires a willingness to do
what it takes to succeed and not just a desire to succeed?
For
the good of our children, our friends and ourselves let’s all practice having a
“Yes” face.
Source: Principals' Digest, Vol. 16 No. 52 - Acknowledgement: Charles Swindoll
Mr P Collins, Vice Principal
