This was shared with us by Dr. Dennis Perman of the Masters. He has 
a weekly free e-mail. If you wish a copy sent to you contact him at 
masters9@aol.com

Dear Doctor:

I received this little eye-opener from Dr. Tim Clare of Charlotte,  
North Carolina,  called simply,  "The Eye Of The Beholder."

"One day a father of a well-to-do family took his young son on a trip 
to the country,  with the purpose of showing him how poor some 
people can be.  They spent a day and a night at the farm of a very 
poor family.  When they got back, the father asked the son,  'How was 
the trip?'  'Very good,  Dad.'  'Did you see how poor some people can 
be?' the father asked.  'Yeah,' said the son.  'And what did you learn?'  
asked the father.

The son answered,  'I saw that we have a dog at home and they have 
four.  We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden,  they 
have a creek that has no end.  We have imported lamps in the garden,  
they have the stars.  Our patio reaches to the front yard,  they have 
the whole horizon.'  When the little boy was finished,  his father was 
speechless.  His son added,  'Thanks,  Dad,  for showing me how poor 
we are.'

Isn't it true,  it all depends on how you look at things?  If you have 
love,  friends,  family,  health,  good humor,  and a positive attitude 
towards life,  you've got everything -- you can't buy any of it.  You 
can have all the material possessions you can imagine,  provisions 
for the future,  etc.,  but if you are poor of spirit,  you have nothing."

History is replete with references to the above expressed sentiment.  
Shakespeare said,  "There is nothing either good or bad,  but thinking 
makes it so."  Almost four centuries later,  Tony Robbins says,  
"Nothing has any meaning but the meaning you give it."  Earl 
Nightingale was convinced that attitude was the strangest secret,  
the difference that made the difference.  Philosopher after 
philosopher proclaims,  in his or her own way,  that you may not be 
able to control what happens,  but you can certainly control how you 
show up and what you do,  and that begins with putting the most 
empowering spin possible on the events that shape your life.  We 
must learn to be grateful for every second of our lives,  every single 
second.  As Neale Donald Walsch says,  "A Master prefers what 
occurs."

The next time something happens that seems bad,  remember that 
you have a choice about what meanings you assign and how you 
behave.   They say character is not developed in a crisis,  it's just 
displayed there,  so when you face adversity,  focus on being and 
doing your best,  and you'll have the best chance of success.  And 
thanks for the reminder,  Dr. Tim -- those who know you recognize 
you as a model of congruency,  faith,  personal power,  and love for 
us all to respect,  admire and appreciate.

Dennis Perman DC,  for The Masters