It was a dark, wet November morning. It seemed like it would take a million years to get to summer again. I thought bears have got it right---- what a perfect idea to sleep through the worst part of the year and wake up when spring comes! "Want some words of affirmation ?" a coworker, seeing my mood, kindly suggested. "You don't think they would cheer you up?" "Today? No." I shook my head. "I used to think so too," he said, "until I realized the effect my words had on a certain person. Well, it was someone I knew pretty well. I have to say I treated him rather badly." "You? But you are always so positive! How did you treat him badly?" "I told him I did not like anything about him, really. I told him I did not even like his name. In fact, it wasn't only what I said. I also did pretty bad things to him. When he was hungry, I did not give him the chance to eat proper food. When he felt like doing something fun, I said to him that he was being childish and having fun was not productive  . And worst of all, when he was sick and needed care, I did not care. I told him to get up and get to work. And when he did, I never told him he did good work. You could say I was ashamed of him," he said. "I wanted to get rid of him because he just wasn't good enough for me---but couldn't." "But that was heartless!" He nodded. "Then one day it all changed. I stood there in front of the bathroom mirror one morning. I saw the dark circles under his eyes, I saw the excess   weight. I saw the hair that needed cutting. And I saw the eyes that once had looked at the world eagerly. Now they were so sad and tired. And there and then I realized he deserved better. So I told the man I had disliked for so many years that he was a good person after all." My jaw   dropped. I looked at him---full of positive energy, in good shape, always ready to encourage others. "Wow..." He winked   at me. "So how about having a little positive conversation with the bathroom mirror? The person in there has the greatest effect on you!" What does the author's coworker suggest the author do?
Be helpful to those in need. Be confident in the face of difficulty. Be positive about himself. Be kind to those who make mistakes.