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Philosophies That Keep You Positive!

I adopted this poem, when I was a young kid, to be my credo. I live it everyday and have used it in all my businesses since. I guess you could say, I grew into it meaning a lot more to me. I even use it as the lead in to the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame. They are called Bridge Builders and that is also the name of the World Massage Festival's commemorative magazine, "The Bridge Builders".

What do you use to keep you positive?

THE BRIDGE BUILDER

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide --
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pit-fall be,
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

Will Allen Dromgoole

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on January 3, 2010 at 11:09pm

Florida is no help at the moment Lee. Maybe the 20's verses -15 if much better. Maybe Florida can help. Florida to the rescue! Now that is definately a Positive Attitude.

lee kalpin said:

Oh, c'mon Mike. You could give us a little part of some warm state - surely you can't be using all of them!

Mike Hinkle said:
Sorry, you can't have everything! lol

lee kalpin said:
When I say "we have had peace" I mean that we have not had war on our own territory. Certainly we have had troops in many conflicts including WW1, WW2, and presently in Afganistan. But we have had the good fortune not to have the fear of having armed violence in our own country.

As for keeping warm --I just came in from shovelling a lot of snow in minus 15 Celcuis temps - that's about zero F!
That one thing we don't have in Canada - we need ONE WARM PROVINCE!!!

Mike Hinkle said:
Howdy Lee,

You are indeed fortuanate. Yes, your country has stayed out of the frays much more than my own. It seems those who prosper are able to convince the powers to be it is always needed. Diplomacy is hiding in the closets in Congress. Maybe something will stop the foolishness in our statesmen(?).

I am glad you see the glass half full. Pass it on, so many need it! Stay warm up there. Happy New Year!

lee kalpin said:
I am not as poetic or philosophical as you Mike, although I love the poem and what it expresses.
My positive attitude comes from the simple realities of my life. I feel I am blessed to live in a land that has been at peace throughout my lifetime. I have everything material that I could need - a safe and comfortable home, plenty of food, good health, enough money for my necessities and more. ,I have family and friends and a profession that enables me to help people while making a very comfortable livelihood. Of course I have a positive attitude!!!

Certanly I have had hard times during my life. It is the old platitude of seeing the glass as half full rather than half emplty, and focusing on the positive.
In my teaching career I have certainly tried to build a bridge for those who come after me. I had never heard your poem, but I have lived that philosophy to the best of my ability. My goal was to graduate people who would be excellent therapists and could bring excellent care to their clients. I always aspired to graduate therapists who were better and smarter than me!!! And they are. I am pleased and proud of their accomplishments.
. ..

Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on January 3, 2010 at 11:13pm

Ok! Here's the deal. I'll give you New Mexico. But you have to trade me British Columbia.

lee kalpin said:

Oh, c'mon Mike. You could give us a little part of some warm state - surely you can't be using all of them!

Mike Hinkle said:
Sorry, you can't have everything! lol

lee kalpin said:
When I say "we have had peace" I mean that we have not had war on our own territory. Certainly we have had troops in many conflicts including WW1, WW2, and presently in Afganistan. But we have had the good fortune not to have the fear of having armed violence in our own country.

As for keeping warm --I just came in from shovelling a lot of snow in minus 15 Celcuis temps - that's about zero F!
That one thing we don't have in Canada - we need ONE WARM PROVINCE!!!

Mike Hinkle said:
Howdy Lee,

You are indeed fortuanate. Yes, your country has stayed out of the frays much more than my own. It seems those who prosper are able to convince the powers to be it is always needed. Diplomacy is hiding in the closets in Congress. Maybe something will stop the foolishness in our statesmen(?).

I am glad you see the glass half full. Pass it on, so many need it! Stay warm up there. Happy New Year!

lee kalpin said:
I am not as poetic or philosophical as you Mike, although I love the poem and what it expresses.
My positive attitude comes from the simple realities of my life. I feel I am blessed to live in a land that has been at peace throughout my lifetime. I have everything material that I could need - a safe and comfortable home, plenty of food, good health, enough money for my necessities and more. ,I have family and friends and a profession that enables me to help people while making a very comfortable livelihood. Of course I have a positive attitude!!!

Certanly I have had hard times during my life. It is the old platitude of seeing the glass as half full rather than half emplty, and focusing on the positive.
In my teaching career I have certainly tried to build a bridge for those who come after me. I had never heard your poem, but I have lived that philosophy to the best of my ability. My goal was to graduate people who would be excellent therapists and could bring excellent care to their clients. I always aspired to graduate therapists who were better and smarter than me!!! And they are. I am pleased and proud of their accomplishments.
. ..

Permalink Reply by Choice Kinchen on January 3, 2010 at 11:28pm

In 1983, I was diagnosed with scleroderma, a bad bad cousin to lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. I was given less than a year to live. As you can tell, that time has come and gone. But it has not been easy. I have had many trials along the way. In 1989 another diagnosis of lupus nephritis was given. So I have 2 "obstacles" to contend with. My symptoms involve my lungs, heart, gi tract, kidneys, muscles, and joints. Fatigue has been a constant companion. I have taken on and survived a heart attack and 3 rounds of chemo since 2000. I probably built many a wing to the local ER and hospital facilities. But my spirit and attitude has never been taken. In 1993 I rode my road bike (as in cyclist like Lance) from Houston TX to Dearborn MI as a PR campaign to promote scleroderma awareness. In 1998 I married my soulmate (who also has scleroderma), even though my 1st wife said that I would never find anyone who would want a "sick" person. In 2000, I could no longer work as a letter carrier and took a medical retirement and started massage school, even though the faculty had ?'s on whether I could do it cause of the crookedness of my fingers caused by my illness. In everything I have done, I have had to listen to naysayers. I listened...I just didn't pay any attention to them. I tell people that I am healthier than most "healthy" people I know. I hike the Wasatch Mountains when others say it is too hot. I snowshoe when others think it's too cold. I can do chair massage (my specialty) at a convention for 6 or 7 or 8 hours...whatever it takes to take care of the attendees. My outlook on things sometimes comes across as too positive. I don't like the word "can't" or the phrase "I quit."

The philosophy I have lived by for the past 16 years but realized I have live by it my whole life was a quote given by Jim Valvano, former coach of the North Carolina State basketball team. He died in April of 1993. He died of cancer. One day, during one of the many lectures he gave ever since he had been diagnosed, he was talking about cancer and living and dying and family. You could tell he was towards the end of his journey. As he addressed these people, he looked at them and said 7 words that I repeat every day as I get up and I am hurting. He said, "Never give up. Don't ever give up." And I never have.

Permalink Reply by lee kalpin on January 3, 2010 at 11:30pm

Okay - it sounds like a deal to me. Since I don't live in BC (actually a couple of thousand miles from BC) Iwon't miss it, and New Mexico has mountains too. As for Florida, I think Canadians pretty much take it over in the winter - there is even an area that is exclusively French Canadian! But I vote for New Mexico.
I thought this was a fairly serious dicussion of positive attitudes, and I think I have caused us to lose some focus here. Sorry about that! Minus 20 weather does that to me.

Mike Hinkle said:

Ok! Here's the deal. I'll give you New Mexico. But you have to trade me British Columbia.

lee kalpin said:
Oh, c'mon Mike. You could give us a little part of some warm state - surely you can't be using all of them!

Mike Hinkle said:
Sorry, you can't have everything! lol

lee kalpin said:
When I say "we have had peace" I mean that we have not had war on our own territory. Certainly we have had troops in many conflicts including WW1, WW2, and presently in Afganistan. But we have had the good fortune not to have the fear of having armed violence in our own country.

As for keeping warm --I just came in from shovelling a lot of snow in minus 15 Celcuis temps - that's about zero F!
That one thing we don't have in Canada - we need ONE WARM PROVINCE!!!

Mike Hinkle said:
Howdy Lee,

You are indeed fortuanate. Yes, your country has stayed out of the frays much more than my own. It seems those who prosper are able to convince the powers to be it is always needed. Diplomacy is hiding in the closets in Congress. Maybe something will stop the foolishness in our statesmen(?).

I am glad you see the glass half full. Pass it on, so many need it! Stay warm up there. Happy New Year!

lee kalpin said:
I am not as poetic or philosophical as you Mike, although I love the poem and what it expresses.
My positive attitude comes from the simple realities of my life. I feel I am blessed to live in a land that has been at peace throughout my lifetime. I have everything material that I could need - a safe and comfortable home, plenty of food, good health, enough money for my necessities and more. ,I have family and friends and a profession that enables me to help people while making a very comfortable livelihood. Of course I have a positive attitude!!!

Certanly I have had hard times during my life. It is the old platitude of seeing the glass as half full rather than half emplty, and focusing on the positive.
In my teaching career I have certainly tried to build a bridge for those who come after me. I had never heard your poem, but I have lived that philosophy to the best of my ability. My goal was to graduate people who would be excellent therapists and could bring excellent care to their clients. I always aspired to graduate therapists who were better and smarter than me!!! And they are. I am pleased and proud of their accomplishments.
. ..

Permalink Reply by lee kalpin on January 3, 2010 at 11:37pm

Thank you for your amazing story! You epitomize the power of a Positive Attitude. What you have accomplished and are still accomplishing is amazing and an inspiration.
It's fascinating to observe the very different reactions people have to adversity. Some people, when they are told they have a chronic illness, just give up on life. Others take adversity as a challenge and are determined to get the most out of life no matter what the diagnosis is.
As therapists, I think we need to consider what makes that huge difference in attitude, and how we can encourage hope and optimism.

Choice Kinchen said:

In 1983, I was diagnosed with scleroderma, a bad bad cousin to lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. I was given less than a year to live. As you can tell, that time has come and gone. But it has not been easy. I have had many trials along the way. In 1989 another diagnosis of lupus nephritis was given. So I have 2 "obstacles" to contend with. My symptoms involve my lungs, heart, gi tract, kidneys, muscles, and joints. Fatigue has been a constant companion. I have taken on and survived a heart attack and 3 rounds of chemo since 2000. I probably built many a wing to the local ER and hospital facilities. But my spirit and attitude has never been taken. In 1993 I rode my road bike (as in cyclist like Lance) from Houston TX to Dearborn MI as a PR campaign to promote scleroderma awareness. In 1998 I married my soulmate (who also has scleroderma), even though my 1st wife said that I would never find anyone who would want a "sick" person. In 2000, I could no longer work as a letter carrier and took a medical retirement and started massage school, even though the faculty had ?'s on whether I could do it cause of the crookedness of my fingers caused by my illness. In everything I have done, I have had to listen to naysayers. I listened...I just didn't pay any attention to them. I tell people that I am healthier than most "healthy" people I know. I hike the Wasatch Mountains when others say it is too hot. I snowshoe when others think it's too cold. I can do chair massage (my specialty) at a convention for 6 or 7 or 8 hours...whatever it takes to take care of the attendees. My outlook on things sometimes comes across as too positive. I don't like the word "can't" or the phrase "I quit."

The philosophy I have lived by for the past 16 years but realized I have live by it my whole life was a quote given by Jim Valvano, former coach of the North Carolina State basketball team. He died in April of 1993. He died of cancer. One day, during one of the many lectures he gave ever since he had been diagnosed, he was talking about cancer and living and dying and family. You could tell he was towards the end of his journey. As he addressed these people, he looked at them and said 7 words that I repeat every day as I get up and I am hurting. He said, "Never give up. Don't ever give up." And I never have.

Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on January 4, 2010 at 12:11am

Coach V was right!

Choice Kinchen said:

In 1983, I was diagnosed with scleroderma, a bad bad cousin to lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. I was given less than a year to live. As you can tell, that time has come and gone. But it has not been easy. I have had many trials along the way. In 1989 another diagnosis of lupus nephritis was given. So I have 2 "obstacles" to contend with. My symptoms involve my lungs, heart, gi tract, kidneys, muscles, and joints. Fatigue has been a constant companion. I have taken on and survived a heart attack and 3 rounds of chemo since 2000. I probably built many a wing to the local ER and hospital facilities. But my spirit and attitude has never been taken. In 1993 I rode my road bike (as in cyclist like Lance) from Houston TX to Dearborn MI as a PR campaign to promote scleroderma awareness. In 1998 I married my soulmate (who also has scleroderma), even though my 1st wife said that I would never find anyone who would want a "sick" person. In 2000, I could no longer work as a letter carrier and took a medical retirement and started massage school, even though the faculty had ?'s on whether I could do it cause of the crookedness of my fingers caused by my illness. In everything I have done, I have had to listen to naysayers. I listened...I just didn't pay any attention to them. I tell people that I am healthier than most "healthy" people I know. I hike the Wasatch Mountains when others say it is too hot. I snowshoe when others think it's too cold. I can do chair massage (my specialty) at a convention for 6 or 7 or 8 hours...whatever it takes to take care of the attendees. My outlook on things sometimes comes across as too positive. I don't like the word "can't" or the phrase "I quit."

The philosophy I have lived by for the past 16 years but realized I have live by it my whole life was a quote given by Jim Valvano, former coach of the North Carolina State basketball team. He died in April of 1993. He died of cancer. One day, during one of the many lectures he gave ever since he had been diagnosed, he was talking about cancer and living and dying and family. You could tell he was towards the end of his journey. As he addressed these people, he looked at them and said 7 words that I repeat every day as I get up and I am hurting. He said, "Never give up. Don't ever give up." And I never have.