Making the Best of You
by Steve Goodier
They say "make the best of a bad situation." But I believe the bad situation
makes the best of you. Even the irritations of life can be useful. President
Abraham Lincoln showed us how this is so.
One of his cabinet appointees, Edwin Stanton, frequently found flaws with the
president and criticized him -- sometimes in public. Lincoln seemed to show
excessive patience with him. The president was asked why he kept such a man in a
high level position.
Lincoln characteristically responded with a story. He told about a time he was
visiting with an old farmer. He noticed a big horsefly biting the flank of the
farmer's horse. Lincoln said he reached over to brush the fly away. As he did
so, the farmer stopped him and cautioned, "Don't do that, friend. That horsefly
is the only thing keeping this old horse moving."
Even life's many irritations and problems have their place. They may cause us to
change directions. Or prod us to greater achievement. Or keep us moving along
when it's easier to go nowhere.
Are you simply making the best of a bad situation, or will it make the best of
you? Steve Goodier's books & newsletter:
http://LifeSupportSystem.com.