2. Jerry is the manager of aJerry is the manager of a
restaurant. He is always inrestaurant. He is always in
a good mood.a good mood.
3. When someone would askWhen someone would ask
him how he was doing, hehim how he was doing, he
would always reply:would always reply:
"If I were any better, I"If I were any better, I
would be twins!"would be twins!"
4. Many of the waiters at hisMany of the waiters at his
restaurant quit their jobsrestaurant quit their jobs
when he changed jobswhen he changed jobs,,
so they could follow himso they could follow him
around from restaurant toaround from restaurant to
restaurantrestaurant
6. If an employee was having a badIf an employee was having a bad
day, Jerry was always there,day, Jerry was always there,
telling him how to look on thetelling him how to look on the
positive side of the situation.positive side of the situation.
BecauseBecause
Jerry was a natural motivator.Jerry was a natural motivator.
7. Seeing this style really madeSeeing this style really made
me curious, so one day I wentme curious, so one day I went
up to Jerry and asked himup to Jerry and asked him ：：
"I don't get it! No one can be"I don't get it! No one can be
a positive person all of thea positive person all of the
time. How do you do it?"time. How do you do it?"
8. Jerry replied, "Each morning IJerry replied, "Each morning I
wake up and say to myself, Iwake up and say to myself, I
have two choices today. I canhave two choices today. I can
choose to be in a good mood or Ichoose to be in a good mood or I
can choose to be in a bad mood.can choose to be in a bad mood.
9. I always choose to be in a goodI always choose to be in a good
mood. Each time something badmood. Each time something bad
happens, I can choose to behappens, I can choose to be
victim or I can choose to learnvictim or I can choose to learn
from it. I always choose to learnfrom it. I always choose to learn
from it.from it.
10. Every time someone comes toEvery time someone comes to
me complaining, I can choose tome complaining, I can choose to
accept their complaining or I canaccept their complaining or I can
point out the positive side of life.point out the positive side of life.
I always choose the positive sideI always choose the positive side
of life."of life."
11. "But it's not always that"But it's not always that
easy,” I protested.easy,” I protested.
12. "Yes it is,""Yes it is,"
Jerry said.Jerry said.
"Life is all about choices."Life is all about choices.
When you cut away all theWhen you cut away all the
junk every situation is ajunk every situation is a
choice.choice.
13. You choose how you react to situations.You choose how you react to situations.
You choose how people will affect yourYou choose how people will affect your
mood.mood.
You choose to be in a good mood orYou choose to be in a good mood or
bad mood.bad mood.
It's your choice how you live your life."It's your choice how you live your life."
14. Several years later,Several years later,
I heard that JerryI heard that Jerry
accidentally did somethingaccidentally did something
you are never supposed toyou are never supposed to
do in the restaurantdo in the restaurant
business.business.
He left the back door of hisHe left the back door of his
restaurant openrestaurant open
15. And then in the morning, heAnd then in the morning, he
was robbed by three armedwas robbed by three armed
men.men.
16. While Jerry trying to openWhile Jerry trying to open
the safe box,the safe box,
his hand, shaking fromhis hand, shaking from
nervousness, slipped off thenervousness, slipped off the
combination.combination.
The robbers panicked and shotThe robbers panicked and shot
him.him.
17. Luckily, Jerry was foundLuckily, Jerry was found
quickly and rushed toquickly and rushed to
the hospital.the hospital.
18. After 18 hours of surgery andAfter 18 hours of surgery and
weeks of intensive care, Jerryweeks of intensive care, Jerry
was released from the hospitalwas released from the hospital
with fragments of the bulletswith fragments of the bullets
still in his body.…still in his body.…
19. I saw Jerry about sixI saw Jerry about six
months after the accident.months after the accident.
When I asked him how he was,When I asked him how he was,
he replied,he replied, "If I were any"If I were any
better, I'd be twins.better, I'd be twins. Want toWant to
see my scars?"see my scars?"
20. I declined to see hisI declined to see his
wounds, but did ask himwounds, but did ask him
what had gone throughwhat had gone through
his mind as the robberyhis mind as the robbery
took place.took place.
21. "The first thing that"The first thing that
went through my mindwent through my mind
was that I should havewas that I should have
locked the back door,"locked the back door,"
Jerry replied.Jerry replied.
22. "Then, after they shot me, as"Then, after they shot me, as
I lay on the floor, II lay on the floor, I
remembered that I had tworemembered that I had two
choices: I could choose tochoices: I could choose to
live or could choose to die.live or could choose to die.
I chose to liveI chose to live."."
23. Jerry continued, "TheJerry continued, "The
paramedics were great.paramedics were great.
They kept telling me IThey kept telling me I
was going to be fine.was going to be fine.
24. But when they wheeled me intoBut when they wheeled me into
the Emergency Room and Ithe Emergency Room and I
saw the expression on thesaw the expression on the
faces of the doctors andfaces of the doctors and
nurses, I got really scared.nurses, I got really scared.
In their eyes, I readIn their eyes, I read
‘‘He's a dead man’.He's a dead man’.
25. I knew I needed to take action."I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked."What did you do?" I asked.
"Well, there was a big nurse"Well, there was a big nurse
shouting questions at me,"shouting questions at me,"
said Jerry. "She asked if Isaid Jerry. "She asked if I
was allergic to anything."was allergic to anything."
27. Over their laughter, I toldOver their laughter, I told
them: “I am choosing to live.them: “I am choosing to live.
Please operate on mePlease operate on me as if Ias if I
am alive, not deadam alive, not dead.”.”
28. "Jerry lived thanks to the"Jerry lived thanks to the
skill of his doctors, but alsoskill of his doctors, but also
because of his amazingbecause of his amazing
attitude.attitude.
29. I learned from him that every dayI learned from him that every day
you have the choice toyou have the choice to eithereither
enjoy your life or to hate it.enjoy your life or to hate it.
30. The only thing that is trulyThe only thing that is truly
yours - that no one canyours - that no one can
control or take from you –control or take from you –
is your attitude,is your attitude,
so if you can take care ofso if you can take care of
that, everything else in lifethat, everything else in life
becomes much easier.becomes much easier.
31. Now you have two choices toNow you have two choices to
make:make:
1. You can delete this1. You can delete this
message ormessage or
2. You can forward it to2. You can forward it to
someone you care about.someone you care about.
I hope you will choose #2.I hope you will choose #2.
I did.I did.
