126-A MATTER OF CHOICE (Attitude)

1. It’s A Matter of ChoiceIt’s A Matter of Choice

2. Jerry is the manager ofJerry is the manager of
a restaurant. He isa restaurant. He is
always in a good moodalways in a good mood

3. When someone would ask himWhen someone would ask him
how he was doing, he wouldhow he was doing, he would
always reply,always reply,

4. "If I were any better, I would be"If I were any better, I would be
twins!"twins!"

5. Many of the waiters at hisMany of the waiters at his
restaurant quit their jobs whenrestaurant quit their jobs when
he changed jobs, so they couldhe changed jobs, so they could
follow him around fromfollow him around from
restaurant to restaurantrestaurant to restaurant

6. WhyWhy ？？

7. Because Jerry was a naturalBecause Jerry was a natural
motivator.motivator.

8. If an employee was having a badIf an employee was having a bad
day, Jerry was always there,day, Jerry was always there,
telling the employee how to looktelling the employee how to look
on the positive side of theon the positive side of the
situation.situation.

9. Seeing this style really made meSeeing this style really made me
curious, so one day I went up tocurious, so one day I went up to
Jerry and asked himJerry and asked him ：：
"I don't get it! No one can be a"I don't get it! No one can be a
positive person all of the time.positive person all of the time.
How do you do it?"How do you do it?"

10. Jerry replied, "Each morningJerry replied, "Each morning
I wake up and say to myself,I wake up and say to myself,
I have two choices today. II have two choices today. I
can choose to be in a goodcan choose to be in a good
mood or I can choose to bemood or I can choose to be
in a bad mood.in a bad mood.

11. I always choose to be in a goodI always choose to be in a good
mood.mood.
Each time something badEach 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 tofrom it. I always choose to
learn from it.learn from it.

12. Every time someone comes toEvery time someone comes to
me complaining, I can chooseme complaining, I can choose
to accept their complaining orto accept their complaining or
I can point out the positiveI can point out the positive
side of life.side of life.
I always choose the positiveI always choose the positive
side of life."side of life."

13. "But it's not always that easy,“"But it's not always that easy,“
I protested.I protested.
"Yes it is," Jerry said.

14. "Life is all about choices. WhenLife is all about choices. When
you cut away all the junkyou cut away all the junk
every situation is a choice.every situation is a choice.

15. • You choose how you react toYou choose how you react to
situations.situations.
• You choose how people willYou choose how people will
affect your mood.affect your mood.
• You choose to be in a goodYou choose to be in a good
mood or bad mood.mood or bad mood.
• It's your choice how you liveIt's your choice how you live
your life."your life."

16. Several years laterSeveral years later

17. 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 ofHe left the back door of
his restaurant openhis restaurant open

18. And then ???And then ???

19. In the morning, he wasIn the morning, he was
robbed by three armed men.robbed by three armed men.
They Wanted $ *# $$$...They Wanted $ *# $$$...

20. While Jerry trying to openWhile Jerry trying to open
the safe box, his hand,the safe box, his hand,
shaking from nervousness,shaking from nervousness,
slipped off the combination.slipped off the combination.

21. The robbers panicked andThe robbers panicked and
shot him.shot him.

22. Luckily, Jerry was foundLuckily, Jerry was found
quickly and rushed to thequickly and rushed to the
hospital.hospital.

23. After 18 hours ofAfter 18 hours of
surgery and weeks ofsurgery and weeks of
intensive care,intensive care,

24. Jerry was released fromJerry was released from
the hospital withthe hospital with
fragments of the bulletsfragments of the bullets
still in his body.…still in his body.…

25. I saw Jerry about sixI saw Jerry about six
months after themonths after the
accident.accident.
When I asked him how heWhen I asked him how he
was,he replied,was,he replied,

26. "If I were any better, I'd be"If I were any better, I'd be
twins. Want to see mytwins. Want to see my
scars?"scars?"

27. I declined to see hisI declined to see his
wounds, but did ask himwounds, but did ask him
what had gone through hiswhat had gone through his
mind as the robbery tookmind as the robbery took
place.place.

28. "The first thing that went"The first thing that went
through my mind was thatthrough my mind was that
I should have locked theI should have locked the
back door," Jerry replied.back door," Jerry replied.

29. "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 to livechoices: I could choose to live
or could choose to die. Ior could choose to die. I
chose to live."chose to live."

30. "Weren't you scared”"Weren't you scared”
I asked?I asked?

31. Jerry continued, "TheJerry continued, "The
paramedics were great.paramedics were great.
They kept telling me I wasThey kept telling me I was
going to be fine.going to be fine.

32. But when they wheeled meBut when they wheeled me
into the Emergency Roominto the Emergency Room
and I saw the expression onand I saw the expression on
the faces of the doctors andthe faces of the doctors and
nurses, I got really scared.nurses, I got really scared.

33. In their eyes, I read 'He's a deadIn their eyes, I read 'He's a dead
man.‘man.‘
I knew I needed to take action."I knew I needed to take action."

34. "What did you do?" I asked."What did you do?" I asked.

35. "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.“
'Yes,' I replied.'Yes,' I replied.

36. The doctors and nursesThe doctors and nurses
stopped working as theystopped working as they
waited for my reply.waited for my reply.

37. I took a deep breath andI took a deep breath and
yelled, 'Bullets!'yelled, 'Bullets!'

38. Over their laughter, I toldOver their laughter, I told
them, 'I am choosing tothem, 'I am choosing to
live.live.
Please operate on me asPlease operate on me as
if I am alive, not dead'.if I am alive, not dead'.

39. "Jerry lived thanks to"Jerry lived thanks to
the skill of his doctors,the skill of his doctors,
but also because of hisbut also because of his
amazing attitude.amazing attitude.

40. I learned from him thatI learned from him that

41. Every day you have theEvery day you have the
choice to either enjoychoice to either enjoy
your life or to hate it.your life or to hate it.

42. The only thing that isThe only thing that is
truly yours -- that no onetruly yours -- that no one
can control or take fromcan control or take from
you-you-

43. Is your Attitude,Is your Attitude,

44. So if you can takeSo if you can take
care of that,care of that,
everything else ineverything else in
life becomes muchlife becomes much
easier.easier.

45. Now you have twoNow you have two
choices to make:choices to make:

46. 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 caresomeone you care
about.about.

47. I hope you will chooseI hope you will choose
the second as I did.the second as I did.

48. Have a Great Day…Have a Great Day…