Lessons in Attitude

In hindsight, it was fitting to begin my Inauguration journey with a long-awaited visit with the oldest and wisest woman in my gene pool. My great-aunt Ida Mae will proudly tell you she’ll be 97 years old next month and “never has a pain”. I’ve long admired Idie’s spirit so it was no surprise to hear the answer she shares when asked the secret to her longevity - attitude.

Directly from that visit I landed at Washington Reagan Airport, took the Metro directly to Capitol Hill and stood in the first of numerous lines among the masses, in the cold, for our chance to witness history.

Idie’s wisdom was palpable in the crowd that would grow to millions and endure harsh conditions, yet the sense of euphoria did not fail. Inauguration Day in Washington, DC, left many overwhelming impressions on me but none as deeply as this – no hardship is greater than the positive attitude you bring to it.

This same attitude keeps me pedaling hours into a mountainous climb, keeps a lab scientist enthusiastic to try a new hypothesis after the last failure, causes you to give despite hard times, brings hope to a person with HIV and peace to one with AIDS. Whether we invoke a higher power, friend or family member for help, attitude is sometimes all we have the power to control and oh what power it has when called into action!