The Power to Really Live

I had just graduated from college and was about to move away to attendngraduate school. An older friend said something to me I thought wasnodd at the time. She cautioned, "Don't ever lose your enthusiasm." Inwas not particularly aware that I had much enthusiasm, nor was I surenhow to keep from losing it.nnBut since that time, I have come to realize what she meant. Over thenyears, I have been assailed by discouragement and difficulties. Atntimes I have felt totally without energy and even disenchanted withnlife around me.nnI like what Mark Twain said about enthusiasm. When asked the reasonnfor his success, he replied, "I was born excited." I think I now knownwhy my friend said, "Never lose your enthusiasm." For even if one isnborn excited, enthusiasm can be lost along the way. And too many of usnnever find it again.nnHowever, the happiest, most fulfilled and most successful people havendiscovered the necessity of an enthusiastic approach to living. ThomasnEdison was such a person. He was known for his energy and verve. Heneventually acquired 1,093 patents for his inventions, including thenelectric light bulb, phonograph and motion picture camera. He wasnknown to work tirelessly and joyfully. He seemed to love what he didnand pursued it with passion.nnEdison eventually established Menlo Park, the first factory everndedicated to making nothing but inventions. It was a forerunner of thenprivate research laboratories now owned by many large corporations.nEdison promised that Menlo Park would turn out a minor invention everynten days and something big every six months or so. At one point, henwas working on 47 new projects at once! Others have made more moneynthan Thomas Edison, but none have been more enthusiastic ornproductive.nnRalph Waldo Emerson once said, "Enthusiasm is one of the most powerfulnengines of success. When you do a thing, do it with your might. Putnyour whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Benactive, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you willnaccomplish your object." Enthusiasm is an engine fueled by a love fornwhat we do. It will power us anywhere we want to go and take us placesnwe would never reach without it!