The accounting of positivity
This morning, I was reviewing my pictures, looking "'for duplicates and bad ones" during the 3rd soccer game of Daughter #1. I have more than 60,000 pictures on my iPhone and spend my idle time reducing the number, mostly by deleting duplicates. I stumbled upon some of the pictures I took last month during SuiteWorld and realized that I needed to honor a promise that I had made to Ms. Pat Brown.
On my last day at SuiteWorld, after the hustle and bustle of thousands of fake smiles, rehearsed conversations, and going around the expo room twenty times, I had a chance encounter that left a lasting impression. As the event wound down, I stopped to chat with one of our event specialists, the ever-enthusiastic Ms. Pat Brown.
I first met Pat at SuiteWorld last year when she directed me to the correct rooms numerous times, helping me navigate the event seamlessly. This year, I relied on her guidance again, as my sense of direction remained as unreliable as ever. I was tired, worn out, and a bit cranky after a long day, but Pat stood there fresh, wearing a warm smile and radiating positivity.
Pat shared something with me that truly touched my heart. She said, "I am 77 years old, and I've been married to my husband for 55 years. Can you believe that?" I was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you tired? With work? With him? With life?"
Pat responded, "I can't be tired. I have to keep going. We lost everything during the 2008 financial crisis, and I must keep working. But that's okay... I love working. It's better than not working, right? And I am happy to have something to do."
I said, “The days are long; you have been standing up all day and always smiling.”
She shook her head and gave me another smile, “Why not smile? My husband is picking me up soon. I like working. I got to see all these beautiful people, and I got somewhere to go. I could have retired, but it is ok. It was just money. I am lucky I can work to make more and live.”
Her words reinvigorated me. In a world where we often let fatigue and setbacks dictate our mood and motivation, Miss Pat's unwavering resilience and unshakable positivity reminded me of the power of a can-do attitude.
Positivity is an underrated asset. My professional skepticism and this crazy world of horrible news have sobered my spirit. I found myself tired and jaded and forever annoyed with all the BS.
Ms. Pat wanted to see the pictures that were taken. She told me to post about her; she was happy about how good she looked and how joyous she felt. It was a random request from a not-so-random encounter that got me back to this newsletter.
When I return to this memory, I smile because her story is a testament to the joy of working, persevering, and positivity. I hearted all the pictures I took with Pat... and I added them to my "Assets" album. I know I will need her as a reminder to stay positive.
Thank you, Ms. Pat Brown, for sharing your wisdom and for being an example of resilience and positivity.
#Inspiration #Resilience #PositiveOutlook #cpa #thebalancedsheets
