# A little story



## belinda (Oct 18, 2001)

Hi AllThis is a story posted on an ovarian cancer board I am a member of, and I just wanted to share it with you all."WHEN YOU READ THIS - LET IT REALLY SINK IN.THEN CHOOSE HOW YOU START YOUR DAY TOMORROW.Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in agood mood and always has something positive to say.When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply,"If I were any better, I would be twins!"He was a natural motivator.If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there tellingthe employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went upto Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be apositive person all of the time. How do you do it?"Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself,you have two choices today.You can choose to be in a good mood or ..you can choose to be in a bad mood.I choose to be in a good mood.Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victimor...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.Every time someone comes to me complaining,I can choose to accept their complaining or...I can point out the positive side of life.I choose the positive side of life.""Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested."Yes, it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices.When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.You choose how you react to situations.You choose how people affect your mood.You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."I reflected on what Michael said.Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my ownbusiness. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when Imade a choice about life instead of reacting to it.Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in aserious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communicationstower.After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michaelwas released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I askedhim how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins.Wanna see my scars?"I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gonethrough his mind as the accident took place."The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being ofmy soon-to-be-born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I layon the ground, I remembered that I had two choices:I could choose to live or ..I could choose to die.I chose to live.""Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.Michael continued, "...the paramedics were great.They kept telling me I was going to be fine.But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressionson the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared.In their eyes, I read - he's a dead man. I knew I needed totake action.""What did you do?" I asked."Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,"said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything." "When I start to feel a bit down or stressed thinking of this story along with the tapes has helped me get through it. I am not saying I am like this all the time, I'm sure I would get punched if I was







But it makes me think, do I want to sit back and let these illnesses take over my life or do I choose to live my life as I want to. It doesn't always work out but sometimes it does







Belinda xPS Do you think that its a coincidence that the man's name in the story is Michael


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Belinda, thanks for the story I enjoyed it very much.







Life is certainly a big part attitude.I saw a picture a couple days ago and it was a boat in stormy seas. I can't remmber the author or the exact quote, but it said something about when I am in a storm I am not afraid, as it teaches me how to learn to sail my boat better, or something similar to that. I liked that.Thanks for sharing this story. The end is interesting, its like he thought I am allergic to death or at least thats how I interpreted it.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

I really liked that story Belinda. I had to think about the ending though. That was really nice.Spliff


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Great Story, but something was amiss... here is the ending to the story... OK I wasn't here... ssssssshhhhhhhh







Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is alwaysin a good mood and always has something positive to say.when someone would ask him how he was doing, he wouldreply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having abad day, Michael was there telling the employee how tolook on the positive side of the situation.Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day Iwent up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can'tbe a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself,Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be ina good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens,I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I chooseto learn from it.Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can chooseto accept their complaining or I can point out the positive sideof life. I choose the positive side of life.""Yeah, right, it isn't that easy," I protested."Yes, it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices. When youcut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose howyou react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood.You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. Thebottom line is: It's your choice how you live life."I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left theTower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, butI often thought about him when I made a choice about lifeinstead of reacting to it.Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in aserious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communicationstower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care,Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed inhis back.I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When Iasked him how he was, he replied. "If I were any better, I'dbe twins. Wanna see my scars?"I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gonethrough his mind as the accident took place."The first thing that went through my mind was the well beingof my soon to be born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, asI lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices:I could choose to live or I could choose to die. "I chose tolive.""Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.Michael continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kepttelling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled meinto the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of thedoctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read'he's a dead man. I knew I needed to take action.""What did you do?" I asked."Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions atme," said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything.'Yes, I replied."The doctors and nurses stopped workingas they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled,"Gravity."Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing tolive. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'."Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but alsobecause of his amazing attitude.I learned from him that every day we have the choice to livefully.Attitude, after all, is everything.


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