“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
Hmmm… “10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it”… That is one powerful statement.
Monopoloy!!!Yesterday Grandpa(that’s me) cleaned the Grandkid’s Clocks in his first ever game of Monopoly with them! It was a grand moment of victory. I can hardly tell you the wonderful feeling of destroying “my financial enemies”. I was tycoon of the day. I was “Donald Trump”. I made a fortune – but in doing so I broke my opponents – Emma, Clifford and Grandma.
First Emma landed on my property with three houses on it. $Kaching$ – she didn’t have the money to pay up…so Grandma encouraged her to fold all her assets into Grandma’s fortune – then Grandma paid her Emma’s debt – and Emma took over Grandma’s place while she prepared lunch.
Next Clifford landed on another property that I owned with four houses. $Kaching$… $KACHING$ – and it was over for this tall young man, handsome, bright, smart…. But not as good as Grandpa! With a groan he gave up everything to me! It was a sweet moment to say the least and I roared with delight… I mean I ROARED!
Then Emma sitting in her new place of wealth and power with all of Grandma’s wealth backing her… rolled the dice. Oh Yah, Oh Yah… OH YAH!... she landed smack dab on my next big paying property with four more houses…. $KACHING$…. $KACHING$… $KACHING$! It was all over. I HAD WON EVERYTHING! WAHOOOOO! How sweet it was.
Emma was quiet… and left the room. Clifford challenged me to another game RIGHT NOW… “Come one Grandpa… let’s play again… just you and ME!”
A little later Clifford found Emma laying on the bed downstairs… he came back with the report that she was crying. Come on… get a life. It was just a game!
Grandma guilt tripped me into going to talk to Emma and tell her I am sorry for treating her that way… But I DIDN’T TREAT HER BADLY… I just beat her at Monopoly! She will have to live with some losses in her life – why not start now?
I swallowed hard knowing that lunch would be together… and went to where Emma was laying on the bed. I hugged her. I told her that I was sorry that I had so much fun at her expense… kind of sorry….
She rolled over with a big smile and a twinkle in her eye and said… “I am okay.” There were no tears! That little fink had beaten Grandpa into submission. She had won – really! The gleam on her face told me what she was capable of for the rest of her life! She had complete control of me. She had got me to come begging for forgiveness.
But… but… Donald Trump never says he is sorry! But then he has never met Emma. Doh!
Later…
I heard that Clifford engaged his other Grandpa, his dad and some others in his second game of Monopoly that day. Clifford won easily! $Kaching$... When his other Grandpa Doug Lindsay told me the story… “Clifford beat us all… He was good!”Sweet! I have passed on my greatness in the “Christmas Battle for Top Tycoon”. I can die happy now that I have passed on my deep understanding of manipulation and greed.
“10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it”
Ouch! Sorry Chuck… but you haven’t played with my family. Winning is important… very important. Otherwise why play? Second Place – is the FIRST LOSER!
A Long Time Ago…
As I played yesterday I rolled back the memory clock about 55 years. I was 9 years old – like Emma is now. We were sitting around the big round table in Grandma Kirk’s kitchen in the farm house in southern Saskatchewan. There was a gas mantle lantern hissing on the table to provide light. There is no electricity on the farm yet. Everyone was squeezed in tight around the table playing Monopoly.
Three of my uncles were in a mounting contest for supremacy leading to Monopoly King of the NIGHT! Two of these guys would end up as ministers. Another was good in business. Another was my dad along with at least two of my competitive aunts. Then there were a few of us kids that played along, trying to keep up to the rules that were explained and argued over.
My dad was beside me… as I was brought down and lost all my money. He took over and played hard for our family honor. But in the end one of the uncles Trumped us. One of them cleaned everyone’s clock.
My kind and careful aunts both walked away from the table with accusations that their brothers cheated!
55 Years later – nothing much has changed….except now I can win.
“10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it”….hmmm?
In the next few days as our family is together quite a few times over Christmastime… Clifford is waiting to play me at Monopoly again. My dilemma is do I retire now as the Top Tycoon Winner… or do I go down in defeat to a this tall young man, handsome, bright, smart… that isn’t ready to be Donald Trump just yet… It is a moral dilemma of a family kind.
Hee… hee… there is a way to win… too funny. You simply go to the game closet… and take out another game that they have never played yet… and Wahoo…. Oh Yah Oh Yah… Oh Yah!
~ Grandpa Murray Lincoln ~
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