I Refuse to be a WSM

At church last week, our pastor introduced us to the world of a WSM. I never knew the true name for these people, but I do know one or two. Even the joy of the strongest optimist can be drained quickly when in the company of one of these. I think a WSM gradually evolves into that state of being—so gradually even that person doesn’t see it coming.

A WSM (Whining, Sniveling, Malcontent) sees the world as one big problem that is directly focused on him. Everyone around him is out to make his life miserable. “She did that on purpose just to get back at me.”

My parents never allowed this attitude. Oh, I’m sure we tried it from time to time, but as I remember, it usually stopped at that first statement. The biggee we knew we had better not say was “I’m bored.” Living on a 100-acre farm, we learned very early not to use that one. The garden always needed weeding and the hayfields were full of rocks that if hit could do damage to the mowing blade. I constantly wondered who put all those rocks out there. It didn’t matter how many I found, it seemed those rocks had babies that grew just in time for the next mowing.

“He’s picking on me,” didn’t last long either. To my parents, it was my choice to stay in close proximity to my problem or to leave. If I chose to stay, then my mom or dad would leave so my whining didn’t affect their attitudes. I soon realized that without an audience, choosing to be teased was not the best decision.

Leaving a legacy of a WSM is not what I want for the generations to come in our family. I hope to leave a new acronym. I haven’t fine-tuned it yet, but I’m thinking—SGC (Smiling, Grateful, Content). Or maybe PSJ (Positive, Satisfied, Joyful). What a great legacy to leave. How different the world would be if we had more PSJ’s? It’s never too late to start. Think I’ll do that today.