Many of us have grown up harboring a lot of bad attitudes about our past. We may have misunderstood motives of our parents, our extended family, or even our peers as we grew in our own understanding of our selves. We may have been ungrateful about the things we had going in our lives; we may have had the misfortune of not being shown love; or, our very own behaviors may have lacked love to those close to us. And for others, we remain grateful for all the love we received and continue to offer that same quality of love throughout our relationships. Whatever our connection (leftovers) with our past, we have choices as to how we express our gratitude and love in the moment.

After the holiday meals, or after any celebratory meal for that matter, there are most often plenty of leftovers. We vow we'll cut down next year and cook less, but for some reason the table of plenty is always in abundance. You might say, "Ron, what about those that have little or no food on the holidays? Does abundance still apply?" Abundance is in the heart of the beholder. I have often observed many people who have less than I to be more grateful for what they have, rather than focusing on what they lack. We who have abundance often complain more for what we don't have instead of celebrating the many blessings we have in our lives. When we fail to show an attitude of gratefulness for what we have, there is a desire, sometimes a craving, to have more and more. Iyanla Vanzant, noted author, life coach and spiritualist, once said, "To have what we want, we must first want what we have." I think of this simple, yet poignant statement, so often when I begin to dwell on what I don't have. And I often quote it to my clients when they believe they are lacking.

Leftovers in our lives are somewhat like the leftovers from our holiday meals. They get neatly packaged and stored away, similar to the leftover food that gets packaged and stored in the dark recesses of a refrigerator. Some of us share our leftovers with others, while some of us covet our leftovers for ourselves-so much so, we often fail to know or appreciate what it is we have in our containers. Every once in a while, a container of leftover food gets lodged within the dark confinement of the refrigerator, somewhere out-of-sight and out-of- mind. One day we come upon the leftover, we question whether or not we want to open the container, preparing ourselves to peer inside, smell it and discern its contents. Or, we make a decision to simply throw it out and move on. And so it is with the leftovers within our lives. We often fail to know what it is we have; we fail to honor the gifts of abundance stored away. Until something causes us to take notice, we are apt to let the leftover remain a leftover, failing to peer inside and see what we have stored away. It can be a regretful moment of realization when we fail to recognize what we had before it is too late.

"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that crushed it,"--Mark Twain.

It is not about the haves and the have-nots; it is about appreciating the abundance we have in our lives at every moment. It is about forgiveness (opening the container) and honoring the gifts of each individual in our lives; appreciating them for the gift that they gave us-the gift they are in every facet of our lives.

I thought I'd spend it in Florida with some old friends - - party and date a few girls.

I called Mom in Chapel Hill, Tennessee.

She asked, "Are you coming by?" "No, too busy a schedule--wouldn't have time. I'll be by in a week or two."

Going through Georgia, I remembered it was Mom's birthday. I stopped in a flower shop to wire my mom some flowers.

A little boy was leaving, he was very sad.

"What's wrong, son?"

"I wanted to buy my mother some flowers--haven't seen her in a year. I live with my grandma now. Today is my mother's birthday and I promised her some roses. All I have is a dime. I wanted to buy five roses because that's how old I am and roses are her favorite flower."

My heart was touched. "Charge them to me," I told the lady.

I wired a dozen roses to my mother in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. I turned around and the boy was gone. The boy rushed back in and said, "Thank you, Mister."

I got in my car and was driving on to Florida. I saw the little boy again. He was by a grave in a cemetery.

I stopped. The little boy said, "This is where my mom stays. She's been here a year. I talk to her all the time. She thanks you for the flowers."

I had to leave. I went back to the flower shop and asked, "Have you sent that dozen roses yet?" "Not, yet," was the reply. "Never mind. I'll take them back with me."

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Taken from the book, The Tribute, Dennis Rainey with David Boehi; 1994; Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville.

When you wake up in the morning, you are completely free to choose whatever attitude you wish to have.

And the attitude you choose can have an enormous impact on the way your day unfolds.

Each time you encounter another person, you are completely free to choose your attitude toward that person. And the attitude you choose will most certainly determine how well the encounter goes.

For every event or situation that comes along, you are completely free to choose the attitude with which you respond. And the attitude you choose will determine how much positive value you gain from whatever is going on.

With many aspects of your life, there are restrictions and limitations imposed upon you from outside forces. Yet with your own attitude, you have total, unlimited control.

And your attitude can make a big difference, with people, with events, with what you get out of the moments that make up each day.

Your attitude exerts a powerful influence, and it is yours to direct as you wish.

Choose not to allow your attitude to merely follow you along.

For you are free to choose an attitude that will lead you to ever higher levels of achievement and fulfillment.

Ralph Marston