“The greatest gift we give to someone who loves us is simply to be happy.”
~ Robert Brault
Some days it’s easier to be happy than other days. We suffer disappointment and loss and it shows all over our faces.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have our way all the time? In a perfect world, we would always have plenty of money and be surrounded by love. We would be free of aches and pains and have no memory of hurts or disappointments. All the traffic lights would be green. It would never be cloudy or rainy or too hot or too cold. Cars would never break down, strangers would never be rude. There would be no illness or death or unemployment. We wouldn’t have to be afraid of not getting what we wanted.
It’s not a perfect world.
When we choose to dwell on what isn’t perfect in life, we allow our inner peace and contentment to slip away. Worse than that, when we carry an aura of gloominess or sadness, our negative energy quickly spreads to others. Frowns can be as contagious as yawns to everyone we run into, including strangers and those we love the most.
When people we love see us frowning or scowling, it may be hard for them to hang onto their own good mood. Suddenly their smiles become frowns too.
Hanging onto what is good
Life is like an hourglass and the sands are slipping through imperceptibly. In spite of today’s imperfections, there is still plenty to be happy about in this one day.
What is good in your life today? Did you have the opportunity to listen to your favorite song or to walk through the park? Did you enjoy a good meal or get a hug from a child?
Hang onto what’s good.
And remember to smile.
When our hearts feel wounded or sad, we can remind ourselves that the people we love need to see our strength and courage. Even if we feel gloomy, we can practice pretending to be happy.
Can you find the strength to smile at a dozen strangers today?
Can you bring some positive energy the people who love you?
Sometimes pretending to be cheerful can make us feel a little more cheerful.
Whatever bad times we are experiencing, they are temporary. They aren’t the end of the world.
Better days are coming. And everything is going to be ok.
Leave a Comment