COMMAERNTTARY
NEGATIVITY
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 139
I think most of you know that I
am a very positive person, and
our children call me “Mr. Pos.”
That is not to say that nothing
bothers me. Some things do. I try
my best to live up to my nickname,
but there are times when even I can
get upset.
Imagine you are coming to a stoplight
at the bottom of a ramp where there are
two lanes designated for a left turn, and
only at the intersection, a yield that bears
to the right. You want to go right, but the
traffic in the two lanes is backed up so
that you would have to go around into the
emergency shoulder and hope to squeeze
through. As traffic inches forward when
the light changes, you see you can finally
make your turn. As you do, you notice
there is a car sitting a good two-and-a-half
car lengths back from the intersection, and
it is the reason the whole pack of other cars
is backed up, yet the driver appears to be
oblivious to what he is causing.
Or perhaps, you are on the interstate
and the car ahead of you in the fast lane
is weaving across the lines on either side,
and when you finally honk your horn as
a notice that you are going to pass, the
driver not only gives you a dirty look, but
flashes the lights. One thing about that, the
driver at least put the cellphone down and
stopped texting long enough to get angry
at you for noticing the distracted driving.
I don’t think I am being negative when
I notice these things. Unfortunately, there
is a lot of negativity around the world. It
is in the news, it is in the advertising, it is
on television and in the movies. Negativity
seems to be everywhere.
The way I counter negativity is to
think about how fortunate I am to
live in the Tampa Bay area. When I
am stuck on the Howard Frankland
Bridge, I look for dolphins instead
of fuming.
So take a breath and think about
how lucky we are to live here in
a paradise. Let us not take too much for
granted and remember that life is good,
and that it is up to us to enjoy it. Find ways
to overlook what is wrong and just find the
bright side of any situation. I’ll guarantee
it will put a smile on your face. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dick Crippen, a staple
in Tampa Bay broadcasting for more than
40 years, is a senior adviser for the Tampa Bay
Rays, and works extensively with the military.
He is active in the world of charity fundraising
and sits on numerous boards for nonprofit
organizations.
By Dick Crippen
Dick Crippen