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affirmation
May 2009 
Lessons from "The Little Engine that Could"
Posted on Dec 27th, 2008
by 
Patricia
Patricia
Hi friends,
Tomorrow, as part of a preaching opportunity at a Unitarian Universalist church, I am telling children the story of "The Little Engine that Could." This is an old story by Watty Piper. Probably many of you remember it from your childhood.
To recap, it's the story of a little train who needed to make it over to the other side of the mountain to bring toys and good food to the children who lived there. But she stalled and couldn't make it over the mountain. The dolls and toys on the train asked bigger engines to help, but they were all too important and busy to help the little train. Finally, the dolls and toys on the train asked a very little blue engine to pull them over the mountain. The Little Blue Engine had never been over the mountain before, but she talked herself into pulling the little train over the mountain because she understood it would make the children and the dolls and toys very happy. She hitched herself to the little train and said, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." And then she DID pull the train over the mountain and saved the day.
These are some good things in this story:
1. Caring. The Little Blue Engine cared about the children and dolls and toys.
2. Intention. The Little Blue Engine set the intention to make it over the mountain even though she had never done it before.
3. Positive self-talk or affirmation. "I think I can" or "I can" is something all of us need to say sometimes to help us achieve our goals.
4. Perseverance. The Little Blue engine didn't give up.
5. Enjoyment of a job well done. The Little Blue Engine smiled at the end and seemed to say "I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could." as she puffed down the mountain.
Wishing you caring, intention, positive self-talk, perseverance, and enjoyment of a job well done...just like the Little Blue Engine!
Patricia
Tomorrow, as part of a preaching opportunity at a Unitarian Universalist church, I am telling children the story of "The Little Engine that Could." This is an old story by Watty Piper. Probably many of you remember it from your childhood.
To recap, it's the story of a little train who needed to make it over to the other side of the mountain to bring toys and good food to the children who lived there. But she stalled and couldn't make it over the mountain. The dolls and toys on the train asked bigger engines to help, but they were all too important and busy to help the little train. Finally, the dolls and toys on the train asked a very little blue engine to pull them over the mountain. The Little Blue Engine had never been over the mountain before, but she talked herself into pulling the little train over the mountain because she understood it would make the children and the dolls and toys very happy. She hitched herself to the little train and said, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." And then she DID pull the train over the mountain and saved the day.
These are some good things in this story:
1. Caring. The Little Blue Engine cared about the children and dolls and toys.
2. Intention. The Little Blue Engine set the intention to make it over the mountain even though she had never done it before.
3. Positive self-talk or affirmation. "I think I can" or "I can" is something all of us need to say sometimes to help us achieve our goals.
4. Perseverance. The Little Blue engine didn't give up.
5. Enjoyment of a job well done. The Little Blue Engine smiled at the end and seemed to say "I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could." as she puffed down the mountain.
Wishing you caring, intention, positive self-talk, perseverance, and enjoyment of a job well done...just like the Little Blue Engine!
Patricia
Access: PublicTagged with: living large, caring, love, motivation, intention, affirmation, perseverance, joy, positive thinking, manifestation
It's a great story and not just for little kids. We are what we surround ourselves with in this life and by what we tell ourselves – I have a secret to my happiness and that is I sustain my own happiness by reading positive books, articles and even listening to positive audio cd's. If your focus is only in the positive it's a little more difficult for the mind to find negative things to bring to your attention. I avoid the news because lately it's like watching the boogieman with a teleprompter. I check out www.happynews.com whenever I can..
Great blog though – hats off.