The story of the day... Ice Cream and the meaning of life

The story of the day...today's story is about ice cream shop owner Willy. The story actually started last Saturday as I was walking getting out of the car I ran into Willy while walking on the sidewalk getting ready to open the shop....... I ask how's it going Willy? He replies wellllll Mike todays my last day with the ice cream shop. I said Really, Is everything okay??? He replies, "I've tried for the last 2 years and it's been really tough.... I thought the business would be on it's feet by now and it's effecting my health, I'm working constantly and it's not making it plus I'm really missing my family".....See you have to know what Willy went thru to start his ice cream business... Willy comes from Brooklyn New York, about 2.5 years ago he told his family he was going to buy a franchise and start a business in Florida thinking it would have a great chance... His wife and 2 teenagers remained in Brooklyn going to school while he moved down to south Florida and committed to building and creating the business..... Though he planned it out thouroughly he goes the business is not working out as planned and he just had to let it go because it was affecting him physically,mentally and emotionally...... He said "Mike it's getting so bad i'm developing a twitch in my left eye from stress ...Then sounding defeated he says "Mike I'm not seeing very much success" ..... I said "Willy it sounds like your doing the best thing"...he sighed and replied "Yaaaa"...then I say, "Success is a matter of perspective Willy and you've got to see your succesful"...He replied, "how so Mike?".. I replied, "Well, most people don't even try...they have their dream that they never pursue and instead wallow in what could have been or make some excuse....you did pursue your dream of a business, your succesful for doing that..right?....Yes, he replied....Then I continued, "So this business didn't work out lot's of businesses don't work out, your still alive Willy so you still have time... your now that much smarter for this experience in your future endeavors... that's succesful...right?" "Yes", he said a little more cheerfully....Then I go "You still have your family right? they still love you right?".. "Yes", he says..."well then your succesful for having a family, statistics are 50% divorce rate in the US...your still married with children that care about you that's true success right?..and your succesful for realizing that your health was being affected and your doing somthing about it to improve it...most people need a heart attack, or get on antideppressants, or live miserably because they won't chose to change and even when they know they need to change their life or lifestyle they still don't change..Your wayyyy ahead of those people"....then i ask, "What were you doing in New York before you came here?"..he replies, "construction"...I said, Well they are still building in New York it's not as though you can't go back if you chose to...he said in his Brooklyn accent, "Yaaaa Your right Mike, listen come on in with your family later on today I'll take care of you guyz"....So later that day we came into Willy's ice cream shop and instead of being a man that was defeated on his last day as a ice cream owner he was a succesful man who made a choice to continue succesfully in life ...he said, "Thanks Mike for the talk this morning"... and also said. "I talked to my family and they can't wait for me to get back home so tonight I'm finishing up and I'm driving back tommorow morning, plus i contacted my old construction job and their giving me my job back when i get back to Brooklyn at $45 an hour"....then he smiled ear to ear as a man who just let go of a tremendous weight on his shoulder.......So here's to Willy today who is finally home and with his family enjoying the greatest success, his life story..and yes he did hook me up (check the picture) .. 2 Lessons for today.......1. This society of "more is better" and "superficial titles" and "mass consumerism" and "social identity" and "people worship" tend to have us hold on to things that do not serve us for our good or happiness..... sometimes it's a business, a job, a material possesion, a social title, or a relationships etc etc..... I describe this as the golden anchor syndrome.... It is the person who is unhappy and weighed down by a problem but choses not to do anything about it because they make the excuse they cannot change or what if i change, I can't do that, or what will others think etc. etc... sometimes to see your happiness all you have to do is just let go of the golden anchor that is making you drown and make the choice to be free of it.... lesson 2. Your life is a story not just one chapter...Things happen in life some good some bad that's life, and things do happen constantly, but if you only focus and get bogged down on the bad parts, than you may miss out on the bigger picture and possibly your life happiness as an entirety.