Panda Ramblings

[windwalker]

For a lot of us in the mid to upper half of the country winter has found us with a passion. Most of the northern states are really getting hit by the snow and ice. That will of course make our trip to Disney, in two weeks, that much sweeter. We need things like that to look forward to, having a light at the end of our tunnels keeps us sane.

This time a year is the worst for depression. Without bright spots on the horizon life can seem pretty bleak. We adult athletes have an edge here because we usually have a trip or even just a race planned soon. One of the big causes of depression is the feeling of being out of control, like you have no control over anything in your life. We do have control over ourselves. We can be the masters of our own thoughts and our bodies. We may not be able to control the constant bad news that cable news spits out everyday but we can control our own outlook on life.

Working in a mall the way I do, I get to watch the masses of people moving by my doors. Many look completely lost this time of year. They wander by with blank looks on their faces, I guess hoping that an idea of the perfect gift will pop into their heads. It's really bad on Christmas eve. Talk about a deer in the headlights look, it could be changed to the last minute shopper look.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that things are not usually as bad as we make them out to be. This is the information age but it's also the communication age. We can pick up our cell phones and make a call or send a quick text message. We have literally a whole world of new friends at the other ends of our computer keyboards. We never have to be alone anymore if we don't want to.

As adult athletes we have a vast support group of brothers and sisters out there in cyber space. We have places to go where we are understood and where we are welcome as long as we go as friends. Sometimes something nice happens to us and we just want to share our joy, our on line families are a good place to share because you need to hear positive stories to balance all the bad news you hear.

As we go forward to the end of this Christmas season and this year, lets all make a decision to dwell on the positive in our lives and not the negative.

Thanks for reading.

Social Panda

 

[laughinplace199]

That was very well said! You are such a wise panda.

 

[windwalker]

That was very well said! You are such a wise panda.

You know I really needed to hear that, thank you so much. Like eveyone I have to keep reminding myself that life really is good and we really can choose to be happy. I have a problem of so writing down what I'm thinking for everyone to see, I guess I do it to hold myself accountable to not letting the negative take over.

Smiling Panda

 

[bubba73]

Having worked in a mall and retail (currently), I have seen those looks for several years. It is really sad. Panda, you have such an eloquent (?) way of expressing your true feelings.

Thanks!
Bryan

 

[windwalker]

Having worked in a mall and retail (currently), I have seen those looks for several years. It is really sad. Panda, you have such an eloquent (?) way of expressing your true feelings.

Thanks!
Bryan

Bryan, Christmas is a very difficult time of the year for me. In 1997 my mother went to the emergency room on Christmas Eve, she was dianosed with throat cancer, put on a trach and was given 8 months to live. This time of year I miss her the most. It's also the time of year that makes me feel the most vulnerable to life's challanges and the time I need to draw strength from friends and family.

Dave

 

[monte]

Well said Wise Panda. I work in a resort town where there are alot of young workers away from home for the first time. I feel for them. I try to make them smile when they come into the center and you know what?...I actually find myself smiling as well.

Have a blessed Christmas and a safe New Year!

 

[SamSam]

Oh Wise Panda, Thank you for reminding us that we can choose to dwell on the not so good things that happen, or we can choose to think of the positives in our lives.
Sometimes I need a little reminder.

 

[windwalker]

Well said Wise Panda. I work in a resort town where there are alot of young workers away from home for the first time. I feel for them. I try to make them smile when they come into the center and you know what?...I actually find myself smiling as well.

Have a blessed Christmas and a safe New Year!

Monte dear we still blame you for making us Disney addicts.

Disney Dreaming Panda

 

[windwalker]

Oh Wise Panda, Thank you for reminding us that we can choose to dwell on the not so good things that happen, or we can choose to think of the positives in our lives.
Sometimes I need a little reminder.

I have to remind me sometimes to.

Like remembering 2 sundays from today we will be arriving at the mouse house.

Party Panda

 

[dsnyfan21]

THanks ol' wise Panda Dude!!

Tapering Racey Tracy

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

...Like remembering 2 sundays from today we will be arriving at the mouse house.
Party Panda

Well, I can say it is the best of advice you have offered us here.

WISH Team has been a life changing opportunity for me. It has certainly been a most wonderful thing to get to know our WISH Team family as folks have come through on there journeys.

Your advice is similar to some very sound advice I had the opportunity to hear about 10 years ago. I know I've mentioned this in other threads, but the best advice I heard when I needed it probably the most was my Mom's doctor giving her advice about her life choices. He advised her to make that choice and not look back. Keep moving forward with a positive attitude. That has worked for me in so many ways.

Thanks Dave for all you do here and for helping us to keep that positive motion going.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Panda!

So good to hear your words of wisdom. You are so right. There are some people who no matter what their situation are pessimistic, so when something bad happens to them, you just have no idea how to reach them.

We have so many blessings, and you are counted among them. I have been feeling a little sad because my grandma died last year on Christmas Eve, and your words were just the pick me up I needed!

I can't wait to see you at Pop, I hope you can save a hug for me (and I can't wait to check out the new slim figures you and Erica will be showing off!)

Maria

 

[windwalker]

Panda!

So good to hear your words of wisdom. You are so right. There are some people who no matter what their situation are pessimistic, so when something bad happens to them, you just have no idea how to reach them.

We have so many blessings, and you are counted among them. I have been feeling a little sad because my grandma died last year on Christmas Eve, and your words were just the pick me up I needed!

I can't wait to see you at Pop, I hope you can save a hug for me (and I can't wait to check out the new slim figures you and Erica will be showing off!)

Maria

Smiling Panda

 

[Kira G.]

Thanks for this Panda! I always love reading your thoughts, and I'm looking forward to getting to meet you in less than 3 short weeks (yikes!).

 

[MomofCKJ]

Thanks Panda, I love your writings! I hope I get to meet you at a water stop on the Half, which one are you at? I know I saw it somewhere on here a while back!

Your post sort of reminded me of a favorite quote from Charles Swindoll:


The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitudes.

Allyson