Column: Something About Nothing

“Fall down seven times, get up eight.” — Japanese proverb

This quote has always been one of my favorites and over the past two weeks, I have had a hard time not thinking about what the Japanese people have been going through.

To watch and read about the devastation that the tsunami did to Japan and the subsequent nuclear damage is almost too much for a country to take. To lose thousands of human beings in a matter of hours and to have triple that amount either lost or abandoned is so sad. Please everyone remember these people in either your thoughts or prayers as much as you can.

I admire the fortitude that this nation is showing the world by not giving up. Over the last few years I have watched as a Haitian earthquake, a war and civil unrest in the Middle East, and a hurricane in our own Gulf Coast have challenged our resilience, but I do not remember at one time not being both full of pride and an inner strength as I watched how everyone from a young child carrying another sibling in Haiti through the collapsing cement structures to our amazing soldiers representing us in the Middle East to finally, New Orleans finding its soul and rebuilding again, despite so many obstacles.

“True Grit” is not just a movie; it is what humans show when they dig down and motivate themselves in the worst situations possible. Human spirit is an amazing thing. It is something that propels others to join in, take command of their own problems and climb their own mountains.

So when watching or hearing about either Japan or other epic problems that countries have to tackle, please also keep an eye on how they are handling each day and what we can learn and take from the tenacity and drive of the great people who are moving forward each day, step by every determined step.

Way to go, Alyssa!

Please let’s applaud Alyssa Sager.

After battling a knee injury her junior year, she battled back and did the following:

• Alyssa helped Albert Lea break school records for most points in a game (82), most steals in a season (455) and most steals in a game (26).

Alyssa also had:

• 1,000 career points, fourth all-time

• 215 career steals, second all-time

• 537 points this season, school record

• 139 steals this season, school record

• 40 points in a game, Feb. 15 at Rochester John Marshall, school record

• 27 rebounds in a game, Feb. 25 vs. Austin, school record

• 10 steals in a game, Dec. 10 at Winona, tied school record

• Triple double (24 points, 12 rebounds, 10 steals) Dec. 10 at Winona

Talk about overcoming obstacles. Wow!

Great job, Alyssa.

A lesson in outlook

I am pretty sure that over the last seven years I may have shared one of my favorite poems or statements with you. If I have not please enjoy:

“Attitude”

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break company … a church … a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past … we cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. …

I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it.

And so it is with you, we are in charge of our attitudes.

— Charles Swindoll

Tribune Publisher Scott Schmeltzer’s column appears every Thursday.