Chapter Three - Philosophical Matters

Another thought given to ponder on is ‘attitude’, which seems to be a word with more than one connotation nowadays, however its meaning in Ling’s next extract is quite straightforward - be positive, and also to think of others.

 Spirit (Ling): Greetings.

What we would like to talk about is ‘attitude’, and first to adversity.

This is something that can be depressing; in fact it can be a burden on your shoulders that that you could carry with you the whole of your life. No matter what the adversity is, no matter what the effect it has had on you, whether it is financial embarrassment, loss of many material things, or perhaps worse, physical loss of your abilities, or the fact that you may have lost someone who is dear to you whom you relied on; for all these things we say that it is understandable if a person becomes depressed. Momentarily, yes. When I say “Momentarily”, it would depend on what had happened, but one should not carry it on for months, or years or a lifetime.

The same applies to ‘Joy’, the great highs in our lives. Again, no matter what they are, whether it is getting on well academically, receiving money unexpectedly, or the reunion with someone who is dear to you... it is your attitude to all these things that makes you a better person, and these, both the highs and the lows can make you a better person - but they can also make you the opposite! It is your attitude!

An example: You have lost your home in a fire... Oh, the moans and the groans that you may go in for! It would be better if your attitude were, “I’ve got my life, I’ve got my family, and I am capable of acquiring another home. It may not be the same, but it is all part of life. I am learning something!”

And with the great joys… to go round saying to someone, particularly someone who wasn’t as fortunate as you, “Oh I inherited, or I won so much money, isn’t it wonderful! Aren’t I lucky!” You naturally think it, you may mention it to one or two immediate family or friends, but there is no need to go any further.

Wouldn’t your attitude be a better one if you started to think, “This, is unexpected? What would be the best thing that I could do with it, not only for myself but perhaps to benefit others too”. It is an attitude!

You are here, every one of you, to learn; and though there may be ups and downs, and great joys and great sorrows… it is your attitude, how you accept them at the time, that matters.

Great ill health can possibly make you more compassionate, more understanding, more willing to help others. Many of the sunny people of this world are those who are incapacitated. You only have to see the sports and the games of the disabled to see the attitude of these people, who may not even be able to walk. It is an inspiration!  Their attitude is right; in comparison perhaps to the person who is sitting on the sideline saying, “I couldn’t do that.” It is all a matter of attitude!

So when things go wrong friends (or go right), before you go overboard one way or the other, think on it. “What is my attitude to this situation?” “How can I improve myself, or others, with my attitude?”

Well that’s all for tonight except that “Attitude” is another word that could well be added to my list of three that we have spoken about earlier – ‘Balance’, ‘Discipline’, and ‘Compassion’.

God bless you all.

Goodnight.