Positive Thinking

I was thinking today about my basic personality of positive thinking. I generally am not even aware of unpleasantness. Some of the sisters in the Ward were talking about how important it is to get away from negative conversation and I was thinking “Who talks negative in our Ward?”.

Then suddenly Satan’s pernicious opposition kicked in with no warning and I could only see negative things. I left early for work because I had a dentist appointment to get my teeth whitened. So, as a habit, I stopped by Fresh and Easy on my way to work to pick up whatever I need to fix dinner tonight. Yesterday, I needed Sesame Seeds, today I needed carrots, fresh green beans and a can of beef broth (Honey, ginger Pork tonight, Sesame Salmon last night). Fresh and Easy doesn’t open until 8:00 a.m., I got there at 7:30 a.m.
Next, I drove to Fry’s on Baseline and got what I wanted, but the self-checkout didn’t know what to do with my produce and no one was manning the station to help. Had to go find someone to help me, it was irritating that they were all just standing around laughing and talking, no one doing their job.

It is the first time I have been in a Fry’s for a very long time, that no one has greeted me, in fact, I spoke to the person by the front door and he sort of snorted and lifted his head without making eye contact. You know that nudge we do to acknowledge someone without speaking. As I left, I passed a group of three employees visiting about “last night.” I said, “Have a good day” as I passed, they never even stopped their conversation to acknowledge that I was alive.

I got in my car and drove to the dentist’s office. I was 5 minutes early. 15 minutes later they called me in. I sat down to get my teeth whitened and the girl came in and said, “It is going to be about 30 or 40 minutes before we can proceed with you. We only have one ‘dryer’ (whatever that means) and the other girl is using it on her patient.” The process takes at least 1 ½ hours so I would be REALLY late for work. I said I would come back another time. Got up in disgust and left for work, not bothering to reschedule. (Positive thought slipped in here—I just saved myself $300.)

Upon arriving at work, I had to pass through the security check and two security guards were standing there visiting, two who always speak to me. I said my usual “Good Morning” to them and they didn’t even look up. They just kept on talking to each other. I passed the second security checkpoint and said “Good Morning.” You would have thought I was invisible. I muttered under my breath “OR NOT.” Into the hallway, I passed a man who works in the office next to mine. Again, “good morning.” He scowled and looked right past me. I walked into my office, usually greeted by smiling faces and no one even noticed I came in and to top it all off, my veracious veins ache today.

At this point, I had had it. I stood there and waived my arms in encouragement like a basketball player trying to rally the crowd to yell. Everyone looked up. I said, in a loud voice, “GOOD MORNING.” Everyone laughed and I got a resounding “Good Morning, Sandi.” I felt much better and the negative thoughts dissipated.