A Perspective from the Past

Written by Jim Stovall

The media and the Internet bombard us with dire predictions countless times each day. It sometimes seems everyone we encounter is preaching gloom and doom, so every once in a while, it’s good to bring a little sanity into our lives by introducing perspective from the past.

In 1955, our parents or grandparents would have heard the following statements from the media or people they encountered.

Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging 7 cents just to mail a letter?

If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.

When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 25 cents a gallon? Guess we’d be better off leaving the car in the garage.

Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $50,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn’t surprise me if someday they’ll be making more than the president.

It’s too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.

It won’t be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.

I’m afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.

Thank goodness I won’t live to see the day when the government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to government.

The fast food restaurant is convenient for a quick meal, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.

There is no sense going on short trips any more for a weekend. It costs nearly $2.00 a night to stay in a hotel.

No one can afford to be sick any more. At $15.00 a day in the hospital, it’s too rich for my blood.

If they think I’ll pay 30 cents for a haircut, forget it.

It’s important for us to remember that the pessimists are generally wrong, and the optimists are usually right. If you maintain a good attitude and share it with everyone around you, you will be proven right most of the time, and you will enjoy a far better life as you encounter the nay-sayers in the media or in person.

We can never control the things around us, but we can always control our attitude. Ironically, whether you believe your future will be bright or you believe you are facing bad days ahead, you are inevitably right.

As you go through your day today, remember the past and look forward to a bright future.

Today’s the day!