If they can update films, then for sure there’s no harm in updating old stories…

Imagine the scene, two families have emigrated and by coincidence are driving through a rural area of their chosen destination.  The first family (let’s call them the Smiths) are a couple of hours ahead of the ‘Jones’s’

It’s a lovely sunny day and a farmer is leaning on a wooden gate admiring Gods handiwork when the Smiths pull up alongside the farmer and ask him what sort of people live around about.  Before the farmer replied he asks them what sort of people lived in the area they came from?  “A really despicable lot of liars, cheats and thieves,” came the reply. “Oh dear,” said the farmer, “Unfortunately I doubt if you’re going to find it any better around here.”  Suffice to say the Smiths didn’t hang about and they sped off pretty quickly.

Several hours later who should pull up alongside the same farmer but the Jones.  The farmer was still pondering his crop, the weather and life in general.

Mrs Jones asked a fairly similar question to what was asked before.  She wondered “What sort of people are we likely to come across around here?”  Exactly the same reply came from the farmer, namely he asked back “What sort of people lived where you started out from?”  “A fairly decent lot in the main,” said Mrs Jones, “some pretty nice people, honest, friendly, and helpful.”  “That’s good”, said the farmer “and you’re in luck because I suspect you’ll find pretty much the same type of people here about.”

The principal moral to the story is… when it comes to other people, their attitude, even their behaviour.  To a degree (and here’s the kicker) you’ll probably find what you’re looking for.  Maybe we should all think about:

a) Who we choose to mix with and

b) Whether we choose to see people in a reasonably positive light or whether we constantly search for the worst in others.

The parallel could be the current economic climate.  If we keep behaving like its all doom and gloom then arguably our actions are helping to stifle any recovery.  If on the other hand we set about raising our game, getting the best out of the team and generally focusing on going forward then we’re doing just that, going forward.  We’re helping ourselves, we’re helping others and we’re helping getting the marketplace going again.  Good for us.