A few years ago I met Greg in Florida. Greg was a taxi driver who had been married for 21 years (with two children) at that time. During a thirty-minute drive he told me part of his story and, as he did, I grew closer to understanding one of life's most powerful secrets.
Among other things, Greg had a pretty solid contract to play minor league baseball in the late 80s. That was all lost along with any major league hopes due to a motorcycle accident which could have taken his life. Greg also told me about six days that he spent on a roof in New Orleans hoping to survive the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I don’t know if I will ever forget when he turned and looked me straight in the eyes and said, “I lost everything—my house, all my belongings—absolutely everything!”
Then he did something that prompted me to write about him. He said,
“But I am blessed because I still have my wife and my two wonderful children!” We ended by exchanging business cards and I told him that his story needed to be
told. I wanted him to know that he had a powerful story and that it could impact
many lives. He seemed to be a little surprised by that.
It’s not that Greg has had more hardship than anybody else, though he had his share for a man in his early forties. It’s that Greg framed his life as that of a
blessed man with some problems, rather than that of a cursed man with a few
blessings.
People who choose to frame their lives like Greg seem to sleep better and have a much more positive impact on the world. So, how will you choose to look at your day?
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