“Our feelings are the product of our thoughts. A positive thought produce a feeling of contentment or happiness, a negative one a feeling of sadness or despondency. If we have control over what we think about what happens to us, we have control over how we feel about it as well. This means, in turn, that we can be the makers of our own happiness. To say this is an empowering message is an understatement. It comes, however, with quite a burden of personal responsibility, since it prevents us from blaming our misery on our circumstances. Be that as it may … our contentment and happiness are a matter of personal attitude.”

Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct by P.M. Forni (St. Martin’s Press, 2002); p. 16