My momma always said,
“Life was like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you’re gonna get.”
[Forrest Gump]

I just got an e-mail from Sonja saying she had received an award and was passing along to me—to also pass along if I chose. Pam (the person who started this award) says:

In my best southern accent, I would like to say that I have been thinking about a new award and what I would like it to say. People are like Forrest Gump said “Life is like a box of chocolates and you never know what you’re gonna get.” You can see this box of chocolates is filled with different and unique candies and just like the chocolates we are all different and unique people. We are the same in that we all have common ingredients that make us more a like than not. Except for the frosting, which represents our personalities, we are indeed very similar on the inside. And of course there are rules:

1. Pass this award to others if you are so inclined.

2. Link back to me if you have passed them forward.

3. Write a nice post about this award.

4. You must read this award with a southern accent. I (Pat) call it southern day where we all have to speak with a southern accent. I know that will be hard for some of you, but for the rest of us, we will be fine. So now, ya’ll just enjoy this little ol’ award and have fun with it.

5. And of course let your folks know that they have a nice award waiting for them.

I don’t speak with a southern accent since I’m a Hoosier, but I do read with one—especially since I recently finished a southern novel. Thank you for the award, Sonja. I love chocolates and the comments you often leave on my blog.

The nice thing about the decoration on the outside of some chocolates is that it gives a clue as to what is inside. One kind of swirl means there is a cream filling and another means there is a nut filling. That is kind of like people too—especially as they grow older. Their prevailing attitudes inscribe themselves on their faces. I remember a time when my life took a hard turn. I clearly remember thinking about a friend whose negative attitude had engraved itself on her face so that her beauty was imprisoned behind hard lines of bitterness. My very next thought was, “I’ve got to find a way to deal with this so that I learn and grow instead of nurturing bitterness.” Maybe the best beauty aid in the world is the process of sorting out our attitudes—cleaning the closets of our mind, so to speak.

I’d like to pass this award on to bloggers who encourage me with their comments (non-bloggers like my cousin Marilyn encourage me with their comments as well):

Marianne (who wins the prize for the most comments and who feels like a long-lost friend)

California Girl (who is a loyal blog reader and sharp wit)

Devon (who is in the midst of moving but still blogs interesting book reviews)

Marilyn (who inspires me in knitting and reading)

Ida (who “knits up the raveled sleeve of care”)

Mary Ann (who lets us share in how her garden and grandchildren grow)

Helen of Troy (who is currently knitting black pearls. She is so inventive.)

You folks are welcome to pass along this award with the notes from Pat if you wish. Or you may just choose a chocolate, sit back and savor the appreciation.

The greater part of our happiness or misery
depends on our dispositions,
and not on our circumstances.
We carry the seeds of the one or the other
about with us in our minds wherever we go.
[Martha Washington]

I receive an email every Monday from the Story Circle Network. It offers three journal writing prompts for the week—it helps get the creative writing juices flowing. The quotation above is one from this week. It struck a cord with me.

Martha lost a young daughter to epilepsy. She lost a young son to disease when he served in the Continental Army at Yorktown. She spent years rarely seeing her husband since he was leading the patriot forces in the Revolutionary War. There were ample reasons for her to be sad and lonely. She shows us that, just because there is a reason, you don’t have to cave in to misery.

Some folks see life as something that happens to them. Other folks understand that they have far more control over their lives than one might think. I find that I am happier when I guard the door to my mind. I filter information. I refocus my thoughts when they go awry. I try to follow Paul’s advice:

…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,
think on these things.—Philippians 4:8