I had been hit by several major challenges at once, I was tearing around trying to fit everything in, and I was starting to feel overwhelmed. Then, as I sat in the car dealership where I had booked my car in for its pre-winter check I had time to check my emails on my phone while I sipped the complimentary cup of coffee.
As I paged through my emails I came across this message from Bob Proctor which put a smile back on my face. Here it is: folksy, sentimental and possibly it did not happen exactly like that, but it contains an eternal truth ,one that even if we have already accepted it intellectually we all need to be reminded of, time and time again. Or is that just me?
This is the story. Tell me what you think in the comments below.
Gratitude Napkins
Frank’s
Diner was once an energized, thriving business, a favorite spot for
locals and tourists alike in the scenic New England town of York Beach
Maine. But when the economy hit a brick wall, Frank found it more and
more difficult to hold onto his trademark, cheerful smile.
One
day, Frank caught a glimpse in the mirror on the diner wall of a
grumpy, scowling old man with frown lines embedded deeply in the corners
of his mouth. He didn’t recognize the man as himself. Looking around
his desolate diner, he knew that it wasn’t just the economy that had
driven his customers away – it was his pessimistic attitude toward life.
Frank had tried to remain optimistic but it seemed like the hits just
kept coming, like a NorEaster pummeling the coastline. He often wondered
what there was to look forward to each day.
His
eyes met with a booth in the back corner of the diner where a frail
elderly woman ate breakfast with a college age girl. Mrs. Sheridan and
her caregiver Michelle had been coming in for breakfast every day for a
couple of years. Frank would nod and force his face into a smile when
they walked in the door each day. They were his best customers after
all. Mrs. Sheridan would conclude each meal by scribbling something onto
a diner napkin and placing the napkin in her purse with a contented
smile.
One
sunny fall day, even though the New England leaves painted a
breathtaking landscape outside the diner windows, Frank was oblivious to
the beauty that surrounded him. He was currently crouched under the
counter, grumbling about how the dishwashers were always leaving spots
on the coffee mugs. A feeble voice above interrupted his rant.
“Frank, I wonder if I could have a word with you.”
Frank
nearly smashed his head on the cash register as he jumped to his feet,
looking at Mrs. Sheridan in surprise. Michelle held onto the old woman
tight, obviously propping her up. All Frank could do was nod agreeably.
“I wanted to talk to you about these…”
She lifted her trembling arm, pointing toward the frown lines on Frank’s face.
He
opened his mouth to say something, to explain, to defend himself… but
realized he had nothing to say, so Mrs. Sheridan continued.
“Young
man, I learned a long time ago that life doesn’t always go your way.
Believe me, I have 90 plus years of my fair share of heartbreaks and
challenges that I could easily carry around with me as baggage. Instead,
I choose to carry these with me.”
She
reached into her purse and took out a stack of the napkins Frank had
watched her scribble on every day. She had written things like: autumn
leaves, Michelle’s kindness, seashells from the beach, the beautiful
sunrise today, another delicious breakfast at Frank’s Diner.
“Frank
I would like to challenge you to do the same; to stop carrying around
your struggles and start carrying an attitude of gratitude instead.”
After Mrs. Sheridan further described his daily “homework assignment,” Frank didn’t have the heart to refuse her request.
At
first he did it to appease her. As she watched from her booth each day,
Frank would dutifully take a napkin from a dispenser on the counter,
scribble something he was grateful for on it and put it in his pocket.
The process was mechanical in the beginning, mindless instead of
mindful. But each time Mrs. Sheridan smiled over at him, wordlessly
encouraging him to continue.
Frank
barely noticed when things began to change, when the words of gratitude
he jotted down on the napkin each morning began to sink into his thick,
stubborn skull. The attitude of gratitude he had inadvertently adopted
through the sheer routine of it, began to truly mean something. That was
when Frank’s life began to change…
A
little over a month into his daily gratitude homework, Frank once again
caught a glimpse of himself in the diner mirror. The reflection in the
mirror was of a glowing, joyful man whom he hadn’t seen for years. This
man looked forward to each new day with hope and enthusiasm.
Still
smiling almost uncontrollably at the realization of how much life had
changed, Frank surveyed his now bustling business. Locals, staff, and
tourists alike were cheerfully enjoying the revitalized space. Even
though Frank hadn’t made any physical renovations, the diner somehow
looked brighter to him. His eyes automatically drifted to the corner, to
share in the moment with Mrs. Sheridan. But for the first time in a few
days, the booth was empty. Frank’s heart sank…
A
couple days later Michelle arrived and placed a box on the counter in
front of Frank with a solemn smile, tears glistening in the young
woman’s eyes.
“Mrs. Sheridan wanted you to have these.”
Looking
at the floor so she couldn’t see his own tearful eyes, Frank simply
nodded his appreciation. He felt an overwhelming wave of gratitude wash
over him that such a special lady had come into his life, and exactly
when he needed her most.
By
time the springtime leaves were blooming, Frank’s Diner was more
popular than ever in York Beach. There was one new feature in particular
that was a huge customer draw. When a diner patron reached for a napkin
from a dispenser, they also received a message of gratitude printed on
it. Each message was word for word from Mrs. Sheridan’s collection;
along with a few from Frank’s own personal stash. Beneath the message
was the question – “What are you grateful for today?” with a blank line
beneath. Frank would watch from the counter as customers of all ages and
from all walks of life eagerly scribbled their answers on napkins, and
almost always with a smile. Mrs. Sheridan’s unwavering attitude of
gratitude, it seemed, had transformed not only his own life, but the
lives of those around him as well.
What
steps will YOU take today and every day to adopt an attitude of
gratitude in your life? Will you make the choice to focus on your
burdens or your blessings? It is so easy to feel shortchanged when we
focus on lack. But when we practice gratitude as a daily habit, life has
a way of transforming positively around us. Whether you use something
as simple as a napkin ora journal, when you write down the things you
are grateful for each day you’ll be changing your view of the world
around you, just one day at a time.
Linda McLean
Linda
McLean, an International Best Selling Author and Certified Business and
Life Coach, believes in the power of Gratitude and Planning. Living in
Reno, Nevada with her husband, 2 daughters and grand dog Palmer, Linda
has recently launched her new book “My Gratitude Journal – 7 Minutes Today Leads to an Abundant Life Tomorrow”.
It takes readers through a proven daily process of adopting an
“attitude of gratitude” to produce big results in life. Please feel free
to visit her website at www.McLeanInternational.com
No comments:
Post a Comment