HarryDec 10, 2009
Harry Stemp was born in Uxbridge in 1934. He started his career with the Uxbridge Times-Journal as an apprentice typesetter at age 14. He soon began writing sports for the Times-Journal and eventually owned 10 community newspapers in central Ontario including the Times-Journal. He started writing his award-winning Stemp’s Stew in 1965. The column came to an end shortly after he sold his newspaper chain in 1989, but was rejuvenated in 2006 when Harry became a regular contributor to The Cosmos.
A positive attitude
?It's been a few years since I spent time in Florida - not one of my favorite vacation spots. I tend to lean towards the Caribbean - Barbados in particular - where I can count on the weather and I don't find myself in seven lanes of traffic on a major freeway.
But this visit I find myself in Lauderdale By The Sea - a neat community just north of Fort Lauderdale proper. Main attraction is the height restriction, meaning buildings can't be higher than four storeys, thus you are not surrounded by those 20-storey behemoths that line the ocean coastline.
A wonderful attraction is the community atmosphere that is created at the main intersection. Small shops and several restaurants and bars which - to my delight - have nightly happy hours and I can enjoy two cold ones for the price of one.
A real plus as every Friday night the restaurants on one side of the street hold a street dance with a live band while Saturday night the restaurants on the other side of the street hold a dance featuring a not too bad Elvis impersonator.
First Saturday night I attended reminded me of a comment by the late George Carlin - 'one of the injustices suffered by the human race is that Elvis is dead and all the impersonators are still alive'.
Be that as it may the area is pleasant, people are friendly and my first visit has demonstrated the appeal that Florida has for so many people.
Hopefully, someday I will return.
---------------------------------
A positive attitude has always been something I have enjoyed for most of my life. It makes life so much more enjoyable, improves health and often adds to one's success.
A friend of mine who, for many years, gave motivational seminars regularly told his audience 'Success is 90% attitude and 10% aptitude to determine your altitude'.
One thing I enjoy is to greet everyone with a cheery 'good morning' regardless of where in the world I happen to be and especially on my early morning walks.
But something that bothers me is some of the reactions I receive. People who look to be in good health often respond to my greeting with a scowl or a halfhearted grunt which passes for 'good morning'.
The morning after the American Thanksgiving I came upon a man in a power wheel chair with his left arm missing at the shoulder. In his condition I was surprised to hear him whistling a happy tune as we approached each other.
“Hey, man, how come you are so happy today?” I asked.
“It's turkey leftover day,” he replied. “Everyone should be happy about that.”
Being a lover of turkey leftovers I identified immediately and wished him well as we both continued on our way. Some have all and are not happy. Others have very little but somehow can always see the bright side of life. Seems to me there is a lesson to be learned.
-------------------------------
As I write this I am in Washington, D.C. Business matters for a friend arose which made the visit necessary and it was something that I looked forward to as it had been over 25 years since I last stepped foot in the U.S. capital.
Still an exciting and interesting city to visit, but I was a bit sad to see the changes that have been made necessary by the tragic happenings on 9/11.
The area around the White House, which, for visitors, was once relatively easy to get close to, is now heavily barricaded and streets have been closed. So instead of getting a good view of the front lawn and the magnificent structure you find yourself close to a block away and looking through a series of fences.
But I suppose this is a small inconvenience when one realizes the death and destruction that the terrorists are causing in cities around the world.
For that we should all be thankful.
-------------------------------
Great time of the year to be living in Uxbridge. Cosmos Publisher Conrad Boyce pointed it out well in a page 4 editorial in last week's issue. But there is more to it than that which Conrad mentioned.
Entertainment and our abundance of talent play a large part in the good life we enjoy in Uxbridge, but let's not forget the generosity our residents show towards making life better for those who, for various reasons, have little going for them and the Christmas season is not always joyous.
Last week the annual Kinsmen Christmas dinner was packed with residents who had a lot of fun bidding on a large variety of donated items. At the end of the night the Salvation Army and the Loaves and Fishes Food Bank received much needed funds to help those who can't always help themselves.
And residents will turn out in large numbers for the two turkey rolls held by our volunteer firemen and by Legion members.
In both cases funds will be raised to make life better for needy Uxbridge residents.
When assessing the quality of life in communities it is often summed up by the physical facilities in place for residents. In my mind the quality of life in any community is determined in a large way by the caring and giving attitude of the people who live there.
Uxbridge has always been blessed with huge numbers of caring and generous residents and, for that reason it will always be a great place to call home.
