Positive attitude can help us through many of life’s difficulties

Andrew Galliano Sr.
October 19, 2010
Local historian revisits WWII submarine warfare
October 21, 2010
Andrew Galliano Sr.
October 19, 2010
Local historian revisits WWII submarine warfare
October 21, 2010

John is always in a good mood and 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 one of his employees was having a bad day, John would help him see the positive side of the situation.

His affirming attitude attracted me, so one day I asked him, “How can you be so positive all the time?”


He 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. Every time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from the situation. I choose to learn from it.


“Every time someone comes to me with a complaint, I can join in the chorus or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life. You see, life is all about choices. Every situation is a choice. You can choose to be an actor or a reactor. If I allow someone in a bad mood to affect my life, then I am reacting and giving him power over me.

“However, if I choose to be a loving person no matter what mood someone else might be in, then I am in control of my life. I want to be an actor and not let someone else determine how I am going to live.”


I lost contact with John because I started my own business. However, I tried to make choices as an actor instead of reacting to situations. Several years later, I heard that he had fallen 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw him about six months after the accident.


When I asked him how he was doing, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins. You want to see my scars?” I saw his wounds and asked him what had gone through his mind when the accident took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,” he replied. “Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live.”

“Were you scared?” I asked.

“The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. However, when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on 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 to act.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“A nurse was shouting questions at me,” said John. “She asked if I was allergic to anything.”

“‘Yes,’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, ‘Gravity.’ Over their laughter, I told them, ‘I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I were going to live, not die.'”

He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice of living fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

Jesus told us, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) The glory of God is still a person fully alive.