A Drop of Honey

There's a quote from Abraham Lincoln that goes "you can attract more flies with a drop of honey than with a bucket of vinegar." I remember reading that for the first time and thinking it was a nice little saying, but lately I've come to realize how true it really is.
For some reason, the world likes to focus on the negative and on all that's going wrong. It sometimes seems like everyone is holding their breath, waiting for someone to slip up, just so they can say, "Ha! Gotcha! Look what you've done! Look at the mess you've made!" The thing is, everyone messes up. Everyone slips here and there. Isn't it a shame to have so much of a focus on the negative, that we forget to see all the good there is? I know I've been guilty of this, but I've been making an effort lately to focus more on the positive.
I've started off by making an effort to notice and acknowledge the good things my siblings do. Whether it be putting their dish in the sink or singing to themselves when their happy, a positive word can go a long way! It makes them feel good, it makes me feel good, and it promotes the doing of more good! I've noticed that when I thank my brother for helping out or having a great attitude, he's a little more willing to help out next time or the attitude lasts a little longer. Like I said, everyone slips up (I know I sure do), but if I spent all my time criticizing and correcting the wrongs and never stopped to appreciate the simple goodness of the people around me, then life would get plain annoying. And you know what else? People like being around people who make them feel good! So with just a drop of honey in your perspective, you can attract more friends that a vinegar view on life ever will.
That's just a little something I've had on my mind and I think it can make a big difference.