When we hear every day about rioting in our cities, crime on the rise, strife in government, rising gas prices, Etc., it is sometimes difficult to be optimistic and enthusiastic about life. But that is when, to recall the words from an old Bing Crosby song, we need to "Accentuate the Positive, and Eliminate the Negative."

I was thinking about one of my Dale Carnegie classes several years ago in which the class was asked to give a commitment to go out and live with enthusiasm, and then to come back the following week and tell what happened as a result of that experience. Tom Rogers stepped forward to tell how he was going to be enthusiastic about cleaning out his garage. This evoked some laughter from the group, but it was obvious that Tom was very sincere.

He said, "It has gotten to the point that I am hesitant to drive into my garage, day or night, without first checking to see if there are any obstacles in my way, which there usually are, so I am looking forward to cleaning this area out, and to doing so with enthusiasm." He then went on to say, "And while I'm at it, I am also going to clean out the adjoining storage room, which is in total disarray. Having been in the military and traveled extensively, my family and I have accumulated a lot of things, and boxes upon boxes are stacked in that room. I am going to find out what is in those boxes." The week went by and the evening came when each person was to tell about their living enthusiastically experiences. Tom shared this experience: "During this past week I have cleaned out my garage and my storage room, and I want you to know it has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.

Oh yes, I can now drive into my garage at any time and not have to worry about anything being in the way, and I can now open the door to my storage room just to marvel at how neat and orderly it has become." He continued, "These outcomes, in and of themselves, are enough to make me happy about having taken this action, but the most exciting thing about this experience came from what I found in those boxes in the storage room. I found things I thought had long since been lost. I even found things I never knew I had. I found things - like letters, pictures, memos, awards, gifts - that I wouldn't take a million dollars for, and I didn't even know I had them!" Folks, we don't need to search for things in this life to be enthusiastic about. They are all around us. All we need to do is recognize them and enjoy them!

Now to close with some humor: In Jerusalem a young journalist heard about a very old man who had been going to the Wailing Wall to pray, twice a day, every day, for a long time. She went to the Wailing Wall and there he was!

She watched him pray and after about 45 minutes, when he turned to leave, she approached him for an interview. "So how long have you been coming to the Wall and praying?" "For about fifty years," said the old man. "50 years! That's amazing. What do you pray for?"

"Well, I pray for peace. I pray for all the hatred to stop, and I pray for all our children to grow up wise in safety and friendship." "How do you feel after doing this for 50 years?" "Like I'm talking to a wall!"