JOSHUA TIME 435

Each Day is a Gift> > > >>> > This 102 year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who> is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his> hair fashionably coifed and face shaved perfectly, even> though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.> His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move> necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the> lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his> room was ready.>>> >>>> > As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a> visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet> sheets that had been hung on his window.>>> >>>> > "I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an> eight-year-old having just been presented with a new> puppy.>>> >>>> > "Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.">>> >>>> > "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.>>> >>>> > "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.> Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the> furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I> already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every> morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the> day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts> of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be> thankful for the ones that do.">>> >>>> > Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus> on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored> away. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a> bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.>>> >>>> > So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of> happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for> your part in filling my memory bank. I am still> depositing.>>> >>>> > Remember the five simple rules to be happy:>>> >>>> > 1. Free your heart from hatred.>>> >>>> > 2. Free your mind from worries.>>> >>>> > 3. Live simply.>>> >>>> > 4. Give more.>>> >>>> > 5. Expect less.>>> >>>> > Peace and Blessings