PATIENCE

There once was an oyster whose story I’ll tell; who found that some sand had gotten under his shell. Now did he berate this unfortunate fate that led him to such a deplorable state?

Did he bawl out the government or call an election; or cry to the sea to grant him protection? “No!” he said to himself as he sat on the shelf; if I cannot remove it I will try to improve it.

So, the years rolled along as the years always do, and the oyster came to his ultimate destiny…stew. But that small grain of sand that had bothered him so, was now a pearl, all richly aglow. Now the story has a moral for isn’t it grand; what an oyster can do with a small grain of sand. What couldn’t we do, if we’d only begin, with all the things that get under our skin?

How to Tell a Winner from a Loser

A winner says let’s find out a loser says nobody knows. When a winner makes a mistake, he says, I was wrong; when a loser makes a mistake, he says it wasn’t my fault.

A winner credits good luck for winning even though it isn’t good luck, a loser blames his bad luck for losing even though it isn’t bad luck. A winner knows how and when to say yes and no, a loser says, yes, but and perhaps, at the wrong times, for the wrong reasons. A winner isn’t nearly as afraid of losing as a loser is secretly afraid of winning.

A winner works harder than a loser, and has more time. A loser is always too busy to do what is necessary. A winner goes through a problem, a loser goes around it, and never gets past it. A winner makes commitments, a loser makes promises. Winners shows they’re sorry by making up for it. A loser says I’m sorry but does the same thing next time.

A winner knows what to fight for, and what to compromise on. A loser compromises on what he shouldn’t, and fights for what isn’t worth fighting about.

Winners say I’m good, but not as good as I ought to be. A loser says I’m not as bad as a lot of other people

A winner listens, a loser just waits until it’s his turn to talk. A winner would rather be admired than liked, although he would prefer both, a loser would rather be liked than admired and is even willing to pay the price of contempt for it.

A winner feels strong enough to be gentle, a loser is never gentle, he’s either weak or pettily tyrannous by turns.

A winner respects those who are superior to him, and tries to learn something from them, a loser resents those who are superior to him, and tries to find kinks in their armor.

A winner explains, a loser explains away. A winner feels responsible for more than his job, a loser says I only work here.

A winner says there ought to be a better way to do it, a loser says that’s the way it’s always been done.

A winner paces himself, a loser has only two speeds hysterical and lethargic.

Parachute

A mind is like a parachute, both operate best when fully opened.