Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Jenni Sebora Column – 03/24/14



“Life is so good,” is the title of the book by Richard Glaubman that I am currently reading.

The main character is George Dawson, a 101-year-old black man who learned to read when he was 98.

He needed to help support his family, so at a very early age, he worked, and could not attend school or learn to read. He worked from sunrise to sunset.

He lived through stories of slavery told by his own great-grandmother and grandparents.

Through struggles and hardships, his family, and, most poignantly, his father, taught him to always find the richness and good in life. There is always good.

Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

I make an attempt each day to find the goodness in that day with a happy heart. That does not mean there is not sadness or disappointment, but it is true that attitude makes such a difference in one’s quality of life.

Denis Waitley wrote, “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”

Be loving, graceful in giving, and gracious in heart.

I recently had a conversation with some students I work with regarding attitude.

Looking ahead and planning for the next phase in life can be scary and stressful. We may not always be at the point where we want to be.

As a young adult, this can be a difficult realization. They want to have a job they like and be living on their own – yesterday.

So, when this attitude becomes prevalent, we take a deep breath and look at what we can do today to help them get to their goal.

Focus on the day, and the accomplishments of the day.

An unknown author said, “Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.”

Ah, yes, so true. As I have gotten older, but wiser, this has rung louder and more true for me.

Always find something each day to look forward to – be it a warm bath, a hot shower, a favorite television show, a quick read in a good book, or a good cup of coffee.

These little things can make a huge difference. We may not have a vacation or other large event planned in the near future, so we need to focus on the daily things that we can look forward to.

Life is good.

Another unknown author wrote, “Just remember, there is someone out there that is more than happy with less than what you have.”

My 17-year-old son has a job at the local grocery store. He works the cash register, and bags and stocks groceries. Many people come in and out of the store. He and I have had conversations about the importance of being cordial, friendly, and polite to customers, which I doubted would be an issue for him.

He is a very respectful young man. I told him, “You never know the grand affect that you can have on a person just by being polite, courteous, and positive.” How true this is.

What a difference it can make when someone smiles, waves, or greets another. Pass it on.

Two of my favorite quotes by Mother Teresa are, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless;” and “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.”

We should all think this way.








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