'Yes sir, we can do that!'.

• Author: Wiesner, Pat
• Position: Positive attitude

Mirror, mirror on the wall, what's the greatest gift of all?

We are blessed in many ways in the Wiesner household. In the last month we have gone from seven grandchildren to 10! It has been great! And Janet and I have been going from one place to another to see new babies.

When you look at these incredible little bundles of new life you can't help but marvel at the intricacies of their tiny bodies, eclipsing the most advanced modern computer through the most basic of all human processes. It brings together family and friends and strangers alike to marvel and smile, to literally rejoice at the arrival of this new person.

No pope nor president nor king, if they were there, could keep from "baby talk," trying to communicate their particular welcome to the newcomer. God has never sent a clearer message of promise for the future than in the faces of newborn babies.

You wonder just what amazing things these kids will see as they grow. Some of my first memories were of iceboxes (with big blocks of ice!) delivered by horse-drawn carts, WWII, the atom bomb and the first jet airplane. What will these kids witness? In what parts of it will this kid participate?

What strengths will this person need as he or she grows up in the new millennium? What can I do to help?

Consider this: If you could just give one characteristic to a youngster growing up, what would it be? based on your experience what would be the most helpful personality trait to be vaccinated for if all it took was a shot? We get sustenance, education, recreational opportunities, moral foundation, financial help and encouragement from our families. But the best educated and the best financed don't always have the most fulfilling lives. What does it take and how can we help our young people get it?

If there is a good answer to the question, we should try to help all people get more of whatever it is, not just new people.

There is an answer to this question.

Ask a hundred prospective employers what they think the "most important characteristic of a new employee," and I think that 97 will say "attitude." Ask another hundred ordinary citizens what they like best about their best friends and most will tell you about the "positive attitude" of their friends.

How do we translate the abstraction named "positive attitude" into something we can get our minds around? To me it is when someone communicates quietly and confidently that, "Yes sir, I can do that. And together we can do even more!" When you...