Choosing the Bright Side

How I did:  I had challenged myself to smile at each person I came in contact with and I put it to the test while I was grocery shopping.  This was a great laboratory to see how smiling would affect the other shoppers.  

As I was happily smiling I noticed that most people would smile back, which made me smile even more.  The best people to smile at are children, they instantly stop what they are doing and smile back.  I loved their little smiles.

One of my favorite observations was the reaction of those that were rude shoppers, you know the type, they don't care if they block you in or cut you off in an aisle.  They try not to make eye contact.

Well, when they did look up I just smiled at them.  They looked at me like I was some sort of psycho freak. I imagine they were saying to themselves, "What is wrong with that women? Doesn't she know that people aren't supposed to smile when you are rude to them?"  Little did they know that I was secretly taking pleasure in their reactions.  I would get them to smile if it was the last thing I did at the store!

Every awkward meeting in the aisles was an opportunity to smile at them.  I am happy to say that they all smiled at me eventually.  I know that they might have smiled at me just to get me to stop smiling at them, but I'm going to be optimistic and say that they realized that I wasn't mad at them and my smile was heartfelt. Is that being optimistic or delusional?  Whatever, it works for me : )  I am choosing to look on the bright side of the situation.

And with that thought I found my topic for today: Choosing the Bright Side.

Scripture:  Psalm 30:11

Thou hast turned for me my ^amourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with ^bgladness;

Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we have received as human beings is our free will to choose the thoughts we put into our minds.  When we finally see our negative thoughts as limited perceptions resulting from our own projections, we can choose to let loving thoughts replace negative ones.  When we make this choice, we reaffirm the state of love and happiness that has always been within us, gently guiding us, once again, to freely give and freely receive love.

Gerald G Jampolsky, MD and Diane V. Cirincione

An Oldie but Goodie

My goal today:  I will use my free will to look on the bright side of every situation!