And make it a good day!

When asked why she still competed, Stroebe said, "I think I'm young so I act like it. I don't realize how old I am. I'm in good health and in good shape. I've stayed active the whole time."

I like her story because of what it says about a positive attitude. We make attitude choices every day. Some people spend their days complaining about what they don't have or can't do - or dwelling on how others have wronged them. We all know the type: "Life hasn't been fair and everyone else has it better."

Then there are the others who make the choice each day to be thankful for the blessings in their life. Even if they don't have much money, or a prestigious job or even good health, they don't dwell on it; nor will they let you pity them. They thank God for what they have and in doing so are a joy to be around.

When Father James Keller founded The Christophers in 1945, he chose as our motto the Chinese proverb "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." He wanted the Christopher message to encourage a positive "can do" attitude. He believed that a positive attitude and positive actions can change the world for the better. Through the years, he's been proven right time and time again.

As we get older, a positive attitude can sometimes be hard to maintain, but we can learn from the Mary Stroebes of our world. They don't stop living or accepting challenges. They accept that aging is inevitable, but they do not let age define them!

Legendary French entertainer Maurice Chevalier is credited with having said, "Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative." Years ago, I used to kid my dad about the number of wakes he went to as he got older. He would tell me that after almost every wake he would come home and think about how much he still wanted to do before he died.

Dad loved music and, in his late 60s, he joined a Knights of Columbus chorus and stayed with it until he died nine years later. He loved all that went with being a member of that chorus: rehearsals, traveling to concerts, fund-raising pancake breakfasts and, especially, making new friends. Occasionally, I would suggest that maybe he was trying to do too much and asked him to slow down a little. His response was always, "There will be plenty of time for that when I die."

Life is a gift from God and He wants us to live it with a positive attitude. In 2002, a Mayo Clinic study found that optimists decreased their risk of early death by 50 percent compared with those who have a pessimistic outlook on life. So, it may even be good for our health if we begin each day by thanking God for the gifts and opportunities he gives us and by asking him to help us make the most of that day by sharing his blessings with everyone we meet.

- - -

Dennis Heaney is president of The Christophers.

- - -

For a free copy of the Christopher News Note: "The best is yet to be - Growing older with grace," write to The Christophers, 12 East 48th St., New York, N.Y., 10017, or by e-mail at: mail@christophers.org.

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