“The last of the  
human freedoms:  
to choose one’s  
attitude in any  
given set of  
circumstances.”

Viktor Frankl

I first read Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning in the fall of 1976. It was assigned reading for a Spiritual Autobiographies course at Santa Clara University. There are a number of memorable quotes from this book which I’ve applied to my life through the years. Like so much of the wisdom we acquire in our lifetime, it’s so often easy to forget. Such is the case with these words by Frankl.

Each morning, I read an excerpt from the book One Day at a Time in Al-Anon. The reading for September 2, which I read yesterday, hit me like a pie in the face. Yes, attitude is everything. I believe this. I’ve shared this pearl of wisdom with my sons, my students, and in my writing. Yet, in the midst of my own life struggles, I often fail to recall this valuable life lesson I learned many years ago. I got a much-need wake-up call yesterday morning.

One Day at a Time in Al-Anon is a daily reader for family and friends of those who struggle with alcohol addiction. From my earliest days, my life has been impacted by alcoholism in a variety of ways. My favorite uncle, my Dad’s brother Billy, died as a result of drinking too much. Countless aunts and uncles, as well as three of my four grandparents, suffered from alcoholism. And when I was in fifth grade, my best friend died when his mother, in an alcoholic stupor, failed to recognize the medical distress my friend was experiencing when his appendix ruptured. So yeah, I’m no stranger to the world of addiction and its consequences.

My Dad, himself an alcoholic, warned me countless times during my early adolescence to be careful when it came to drinking, reminding me that alcoholism is a family disease to which I would be vulnerable. I had a few experiences of excessive drinking during my college years, but by the grace of God, I’ve been spared the addiction to alcohol gene (if there is such a thing). My addictions leave me vulnerable to vices like chocolate, baked goods, and ice cream.  

Every now and then, and sometimes inexplicably so, I find myself wallowing in a funk. At such times, I can see only the negative things going on in my life and around me. I know it’s within my power to change my attitude, but that’s the thing I often fail to remember. When this happens, I mistakenly convince myself that there is little, if anything, to feel good about — little, if anything, for which to be grateful.

Frankl’s message, summed up nicely in yesterday’s reading from One Day at a Time, was a much-needed reminder that life is good. There’s no denying that there is evil in the world. There’s no way to ignore the day-by-day deterioration of the society in which I’ve grown up, but I am still able to choose my own attitude despite these concerns. 

By making a concerted effort to focus my attitude and attention on the positive aspects of life — specifically concern, love, kindness, and, of course, gratitude — all these things will be reflected in everything that takes place in my life. This seems to be a good recipe for happiness and contentment. 

Managing our attitude is a challenge we must accept… one day at a time.