Editorial: Attitude

Some people have positive attitudes toward recurring changes and stresses in everyday life and that is their key to success and happiness. The underlying joie de vivre that they have does not seem to be something one can develop merely by wishing for it. For some people it seems inherent in their personalities. For others of us, it is something that needs to be sought and relished when obtained. I try to study the positive approach to life that some people have and take little morsels from each of them to fashion an upbeat attitude toward life. Three people I know exemplify these characteristics — Michelle, Fausto, and Greer — and each has helped me with my quest for a positive attitude.

Michelle is a flight attendant I met on a Northwest flight from Rome to Detroit. The plane was packed with families and little children, all of whom were squirming and moving in anticipation of the plane ride ahead. Little did they know, they were about to endure nine hours of confinement. I wondered if this was what was going through Michelle's mind as she walked down the aisle surveying her “charges.” She chatted with multiple people as she worked her way down the aisle, setting up mini-relationships with them. She responded positively when a woman who was on the incoming flight a week ago recognized her. She found ways to gain pleasure from the mundane tasks that she had to perform throughout the flight. Complaining adults were soothed by an extra bag of peanuts, a glass of white wine, or special service of coffee. Early on I wondered if she could maintain this level of enthusiasm and joy throughout the flight. She continued to change her approach in dealing with situations that would normally be fatiguing and boring for many people. She kept inventing new ways that allowed her to have fun and bring out the good aspects of passengers' personalities. The final hours of a flight always seem to pass with interminable slowness. Michelle reversed this downward heading attitude by bringing out a bottle of bubbles. She walked up and down the aisle blowing bubbles over the heads of children who were about to deteriorate into crying and screaming, but ended up laughing and squealing in delight. As the bubbles burst so did the crabby attitudes of many of the adults.

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Fausto Tiberti is the owner of a small inn north of Rome. He has an infectious attitude toward life. He speaks at least four languages, is a local history expert, has studied religion in depth, and is an oenophile. He has the ability to expound expertly on a wide variety of subjects, and you find him teaching you about any subject in which you express an interest. A walk around his garden is a lesson in life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. We were excitedly shown exotic plants that he had imported and grown from many regions of the world. His vegetable garden was his special pride as he showed us fresh delicacies we would eat that evening. He was sure his grapes would be made into incredible wine by the local winemaker. His joyfulness about life was so contagious that I could not help catching some of it.

Greer Richardson is the third person who exhibits these traits. As the next editor of this journal, he brings an attitude that is continuously upbeat, hopeful, and enthusiastic. I think it is based on his belief in the inherent good in people. In the 11 years I have worked with him as an assistant editor I've had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics from AOFAS politics and finances to personal concerns. His attitude has buoyed me up on many occasions even when the situation bothering me could not be changed. Approaching a difficult problem with the goal of arriving at a positive solution is something I have seen him do multiple times. Greer's enthusiasm for things does not leap into your face like the drum-beating bunny but is instead continuous and persistent. His battery is on automatic recharge.

How does one keep this “Energizer bunny” attitude? Possibly, by keeping a child-like wonder of nature and delighting in the various personalities one meets. By exploiting the positives of each person and imbuing them with your own personal enthusiasm about life, one can have an ever-fresh attitude toward life. There is very little that is boring or uninteresting about a person or subject if you can take the time to look deeply into it.

Over the next 6 months the editorship will transition from me to Greer Richardson. The “can do” attitude of the people at Data Trace, combined with the energy of the incoming editor, will enhance this journal and bring it to a new level. Attitude is indeed the decision, and in this case the attitude is right.