November 30th, 2005
Blessings by Zig Ziglar
A little thing can be enormously significant. Retired Brigadier General
Robinson Risner was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for more than seven
years. He was in solitary confinement for five of those years. He suffered
from cold, heat, malnutrition, and lack of fresh air.
He was totally deprived of any human comfort. He jogged in his cell by the
hour. When he became so frustrated he had to scream, he stuffed his
underwear into his mouth to muffle the scream. He would not give his
captors the satisfaction of knowing his frustration.
One day, in the depths of despair, General Risner lay down on the floor and
looked all around his small cell. He put his eye next to the cinder blocks,
hoping that there would be a crack in one of them. Fortunately, there was a
minute opening and he saw a single leaf. Later he stated that seeing that
evidence of life outside was a tremendously uplifting and life-changing event.
When I heard this story, most of my complaints in life suddenly fell into
context, and I resolved to be more appreciative of the many blessings I had
instead of complaining about what I did not have.
Fact: A quiet glance around you will reveal many blessings that you have
already received and will continue to receive. Expressing appreciation for
these blessings is a winning approach to life.
