Steve Arthur Quinn Nicholson passed away at the at the tender age of 57 because of complications from a medical issue he had 22 years earlier. His life was short but I won’t call it sweet. He had more near death experiences then any person should be allowed. He was just dealt a shitty hand of cards. That being said, you would never have known that if you met him. He had a happy demeanour, always trying to make you laugh and get a wisecrack in.
During our time with dad in the hospital we started going through his things. His wallet was about four inches thick; sorting through that was tedious. Most of its contents were tiny scrap papers with numbers on them and really ancient receipts. Also I believe he collected every business card he ever received, in that wallet. My dad was like a hoarder except he just carried everything on his person. Scissors, elastic bands, paper clips, and pliers he was always ready for whatever came his way. If you were ever to be stranded on a desert island and got to pick one person, I’m sure all of his friends would have picked him.
One item we came across was particularly interesting. It looked much like the other worn out garbage papers, however, it was wrapped in a plastic cover, which at this point was now cloudy and the writing was hard to read. We removed the paper and found a very fragile document entitled “The Optimistic Creed.” It read:
Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
Upon reading this, we were all in awe. This was like my dad’s mission statement. This is how he had always been. Through all the horrible elements of his life he had remained true to the optimistic creed.
I knew immediately that I needed to get part of this tattooed on me. It was a no-brainer. I had 4 tattoos to date but none of them had any intrinsic value compared to the optimist creed.
I now carry my favourite line close to my heart in honour of my old man. Every time I see it gives me a sense of comfort. If I can represent the optimist creed in life, half as good as he did, I will consider that a success.
RIP SAQN.
