Becky Oliver.. Reading Council and Principals May 97
San Francisco Harbor…. Alcatraz
Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you react to it. I’ll ask you to buy into this premise, or the rest of my speech won’t make any sense at all.
NPR: fishing guide. Most of our happiness depends upon our reaction to life, not the events in it.
Helen Dickens: MS. I’ll call her with prayer request: “Oh, Praise God!” “Jesus Loves you and I do, too.” Helen’s response to a life of tragedy is “What an opportunity!”
I’ve known this for a long time, but it’s never more evident than when traveling with students. We are blessed to live in a part of the world where most kids still have a decent chance… in fact, they’re ahead of most of the world in terms of opportunity.
I have been told by every tour guide since 1979: There is something different about your group… and Midwest kids in particular. One, Richard, brought his wife to Arenzville and Perry on holiday just to show her the people.
They say before you choose a college roommate or marry someone, you should first travel with them. Nothing tells what a person is like as much as traveling. It’s too long, too hard to keep up any pretense. … the true you will show.
Mark Twain: I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE AIN’T NO SURER WAY TO FIND Out WHETHER YOU LIKE PEOPLE OR HATE THEM THAN TO TRAVEL WITH THEM
Began ‘79 Inspiration: Dr. Charles Frank
Robert Benchley: IN AMERICA THERE ARE TWO CLASSES OF TRAVEL: FIRST CLASS AND WITH CHILDREN.
See through fresh eyes....Went to London alone..........
And you don’t have to be a teenager to show this attitude toward life. ---Beardstown Ladies...King’s Cross...Sydney Australia
---MUST BE SENSITIVE TO PARENTS....Tahiti (Maroa), Jeremy, Paul Gogan Landed in Hawaii: FBI. (“My mom found out about the pictures.”) Jeremy Scott, international terrorist. Jeremy entered his photos in a National Geographic photo contest: won the JR division. Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you react to it.
John Stenbeck: A JOURNEY IS LIKE MARRIAGE. THE CERTAIN WAY TO BE WRONG IS TO THINK YOU CONTROL IT.
---Beth K & Eric M...Bullfight (Beth: J’ville’s 1st lady firefighter)
Noel Coward opinion on air travel: “HOW WAS YOUR FLIGHT?” WELL, AERONAUTICALLY IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. SOCIALLY, IT LEFT QUITE A BIT TO BE DESIRED.
...Air Italia...cockpit window.
I enjoy rating airlines: S’field, Boston, (American, United, TWA) Air New Zealand: by far the best.
---Worst airline ever: Aeoflat..Aro-flop.. Most takeoffs and landings landed three times each time. (But best security) (no flight attendants.. they got off…. Russians: drunk. Kids took charge) Champaign Dave...getting out of Soviet Union.
Takes a very positive outlook on life to handle foreign CUSTOMS: ..Unisex Toilets...concentration.. Jodi and Susan...bathtubs.
Southern Spain…. brushed teeth with Pepsi … rabies epidemic ..French Bidet...Rick: (now a J’ville lawyer) Sock washer...wet pant legs ..Greatest shock: “What time would you like your girls knocked up?”
Life is truly 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
TRULY UNFORGETABLE MOMENTS: ..Ladies in rags waiting for hours to take communion in Soviet Union. ...Seeing St. Basil’s cathedral in Red Square for the first time. ...Highest point in Kremlin: A cross. ..Sadness of Finnish bus driver
..Ireland...Preacher Frank from West Virginia clearing out a bar for church ..Assisi...Sinclair Lewis: HE WHO HAS SEEN ONE CATHEDRAL TEN TIMES HAS SEEN SOMETHING; HE WAS HAS SEEN TEN CATHEDRALS ONCE HAS SEEN BUT LITTLE; AND HE WAS HAS SPENT HALF AN HOUR IN EACH OF A HUNDRED CATHEDRALS HAS SEEN NOTHING AT ALL. Two olive-skinned ladies on tour Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it.
Becky E: one of your school board members: souvenirs…. Pisa T-shirt “Your eyes”
Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you react to it.
--The Alps.....Thomas Gray in 1739 on viewing the Alps: THERE ARE CERTAIN SCENES THAT WOULD AWE AN ATHEIST INTO BELIEF, WITHOUT THE HELP OF ANY OTHER ARGUMENT> --Craig, Lucerne, Richard, communion
Richard: Les Miz, Miss Saigon, English Music Hall (Me: writing V’Ville show) (2 girls on the way out)
....FINALLY: The story I never tell if any future travelers in the audience. Part of it was printed in USA TODAY last year. (Eric: now one of your J’ville UPS men) .Paris-Madrid train.
You work with youth and as a result, you are being watched.
This week our entire Jr High was taken out of school on Tuesday for chorus practice at Green Pastures. Today, entire 7th-grade were awarded with great attendance with a trip to Knights Action Park.
The reaction of some teachers… “Well, we can’t expect to get anything done now.” “Semesters in two weeks and we can’t be ready.”
Then they hit the ceiling when students have the same attitude toward change or interruption of their schedule.
We are being watched. They watch more closely how we react to life than to what happens to us.
I urge you to set an example for our children. Be positive.
The nation’s leading architect, Johnstone, (90 years old) said on Charlie Rose some time ago…. “The hottest places in hell are reserved for whiners and complainers. If life were 100 times longer, there would still be no time for negativity.” You are be watched. Starting tomorrow, be watchable.