This year’s Clinton Chamber of Commerce banquet was one of the best attended and was filled with optimism about where our town is and the direction it is heading.

People left the banquet with how important a positive attitude is in every walk of life.

It reminded us of an old story that explains how important everyone’s attitude plays in making a great city.

It is a story worth repeating.

Once there was an old man that would sit outside a gas station every day in his rocking chair.

One day a stranger looking for a new town to move to walked up and asked, “What kind of town is this?”

The old man replied, “Well, what kind of town are you from?”

The man said, “In the town I am from everyone is very critical of each other, constantly complaining about everything but not doing anything to make things better. They find more enjoyment in the bad things than the good. The neighbors all gossip about everyone and it’s a real bad place to live.”

The old man in the chair looked at the stranger and said, “You know, that’s just how this town is.”

An hour later another family stopped for gas. A man stepped out of the car and also asked the old man, “Is this town a pretty good place to live?”

The old man replied, “How is the town you are from?” The guy looked at him and said, “In the town I’m from everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand. People go out of their way to make our town look nice and there is always a hello and thank you everywhere you go. They always seem to see and talk about the good things instead of dwelling on the bad.”

The old man leaned back in his rocker and gave him a warm smile. “You know, that’s how our town is.”

A young man working at the gas station asked the old timer how come he told the first man this was a terrible place to live and when the second guy asked you told him it is a wonderful place?

The old man said, “No matter where you live, you take your own attitude with you and that’s what makes the place you live terrible or wonderful.”