It doesn't take much to turn your day around

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

By Richard Anderson

As the guy who fills this space with an “editorial” each week, I recognize that it’s traditional for me to find something that bugs me and bitch about it. By bitch about it, I mean, of course, lay out a calm, rational argument with facts and evidence and logic.
But you know what? For some reason, I just can’t find anything that really rankles me today.

I know, I know – these days one hardly has to get out of bed to find something to get one’s goat. Just leaf through the first few pages of the paper – here’s a story about lawyers threatening to sue someone, one about punks breaking into parked cars and stealing stuff, and of course plenty about Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and the decidedly sour pickle our government has got all of us into … . You’d think I’d have an easy time finding something to bitch about – I mean, editorialize about.

But I just don’t know. I’m just not in the mood, I guess. Maybe it’s because it’s a beautiful day in June in Jackson Hole and the summer solstice is just two days away. Maybe it’s because I got some exercise over the weekend that dispelled my usual stress. Maybe it’s because I just got a shipment of new CDs to review.

Or maybe, it just occurs to me, it’s because every once in a while we get these reminders that all is not amiss in this world, that there are still decent people who are honest and sincere and try to do their best in whatever it is they do. Am I thinking of anyone in particular? Well, yes, I guess I am, a guy I talked to this week about an article, a sort of prickly matter that could have been ugly and confrontational, but, because of this fellow’s gentlemanly behavior, was deprickled almost as soon as the problem was identified.

I don’t know the guy. It’s entirely possible his gentlemanliness was just an act for someone he knew was planning to write something about him in the local paper. But I guess my point is that it hardly matters. I guess the point I’m finally getting around to making, that I’m finally getting around to recognizing myself, is that it doesn’t take much. It doesn’t take much to turn someone’s day around, to change someone’s attitude, to neutralize a tense situation with a few well-chosen words.

Sounds a little corny, I guess, but, hey, here’s an idea: How about we all give it a try, even just once this week, and see what happens? I know it’s not likely to eradicate lawsuits or crime, bring peace to the Middle East, or change the world in any significant way, but maybe it will give everyone one less thing to bitch about.
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It doesn't take much to turn your day around | Planet JH News Article: Editorial

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