Scatter a little sunshine today

The past week has gone by like a whirlwind. I told my team at the office it seemed like July just started and yet we are already about to close the door.

When I was a kid I always wanted time to go by faster so I could be an adult and have more freedom to do what I wanted. Ironically enough, as I got older I realized being an adult meant having even less freedom.

I’ve learned that people in general, no matter the age, always tend to want what they can’t have. Growing old isn’t all that bad, in fact I’m a firm believer that one should strive towards growing old gracefully. Sure, there are moments when I miss being younger. However, I am certain ten years from now I will wish I was back in the moment I’m currently in right now. The best thing we can do is live in the moment and think positively about the future.

There have been many things that have changed since I was a kid, but I still feel young at heart. I can remember at every birthday party for my dad he would say, “I’m twenty nine and holding” instead of putting a number to his age. He believed age was simply a number. There must have been something to that habit that kept his mind and body healthy because he lived to be ninety one. My dad was certainly a believer in working hard, staying young at heart, and keeping a positive mindset. I put a lot of faith in that mentality. It seemed to allow him to live a long and happy life, which is something I strive to do as well.

The most cherished gift my dad gave me was a book titled, “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. The book addresses the many ways worry, stress, and anxiety can harm you both physically and mentally and it outlines practices that you can implement in your daily life to not only live healthier but be happier.

My favorite quote from the book that I believe stands the test of time is, “The way to happiness: keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect little, and give much. Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine. Forget self, and think of others. Do as you would be done by. Try this for a week and you will be surprised.” I would suggest everyone read this book, it is definitely a gem.

There are many things in life that can easily pull us down if we let them. Job loss, the economy, the state of the world, personal issues, bad health just to name a few. These things can make you feel hopeless and soon you may find yourself just “getting by” to the next day in a monotonous routine. I have found that life is simply a roller coaster and when you go down the only thing you can expect to happen next is to be lifted back up. So, now scatter a little sunshine the next time life gets you down?

I will end with this quote by George Washington Carver, “How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.”