I attended the Mississippi State University-Louisiana State University football game last weekend. 

It was hot as hades and my alma mater lost. State managed to rally in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough for a win. 

At least the referees were honest at this game. 

It’s beginning to look like MSU may have a dreary looking season — hopefully, things will turn around, but if they don’t as my son said, “We won the national championship in baseball.” 

His statement was not to brag or even belittle the football team. He was making the point of how we should embrace the positive and not dwell on the negatives. 

This is a good way to think about life in general. All too often, I jump on the Complain Train — sometimes even becoming a Henny Penny. 

It’s easy to do in this political climate. 

In some instances, I guess I am no better than the negative ninnies who live in our community and bad-mouth where they live. Sometimes I wish I could be “little rabbit foo-foo” and bop them on the head! 

I guess that goes for me, too, when I fail to embrace all that our country does provide. 

Ironically, this week, I was reading something that had a message very similar to the one my son was implying when he referenced the athletic success garnered by MSU.  

The author talked about a survey done by “USA Today.” He said successful people were asked, “Which came first: success or happiness?”  

The majority, 65 percent, of those who responded said it had been happiness that had led to their success. 

Well, that was an eye-opener. If you are happy, you can become successful. Sad to say, I have probably thrown a lot of success I could have had down the drain, all because I was bellyaching. 

The author went on to say that because happiness is something that comes from the “inside out — not something that happens to you,” you get to control your outcome. 

Wow, while I can’t control a dysfunctional congress or make others look at Vicksburg in a better light, I can control me. The author concluded, “Happiness is mine because I choose it. My inner peace draws good to me.”  

I think I will choose happiness. And who knows, maybe the Dawgs will find some happiness that could lead to success.