Happiness Begins with a Smile

It's that time of the year...exam time.  For most people my age, this is a time to rejoice because it means that these exams are the last exams that they will ever take! (unless they go to graduate school, of course.)  Since I transferred from a private collage to a public college, I lost about a semester's worth of credits...yeah. But, instead of wallowing in self-pity, I am going to take this time to look at the positives.  Hmm...since the economy is still attempting to come out of the hole, I do not mind waiting a tad bit longer to become an official "adult", and maybe graduating in December will be like a jolly Christmas present. I will just keep telling myself these things while so many cool people walk across the stage this May! 

Now that March Madness is over, the Bridge Run is over and too many tourists are flooding the city of Charleston, I am officially ready for summer to be here!  It is such a tease to be inside from 9-5 and watch people soaking up all that Vitamin D outside.  Now, all you graduates who say that everyone who has a job has to deal with the same thing...let me remind you of one thing you have forgotten. Homework.  It is like having another job once you get out of your first job.  AND students have to pay to work instead of getting paid to work.   Ah, I feel better now that I have vented to all you wonderful people.

"Peace begins with a Smile"-Mother Teresa

Ok, so for those of you who knew me at Presbyterian College, I was that girl who was up and ready for her earliest class smiling at every person I passed.  I'm sorry if that was thoroughly annoying to any of you blue hose!  But, the logic behind that nonsense was that maybe, just maybe, I could brighten someone else's day with a genuine smile.  For the most part, the smile was reciprocated.  It always brought a little more joy into my day when I got a smile back.  Well, as soon as I stepped foot into Charleston, that all changed!  People do NOT want you to smile at them, and they sure as heck do not want to smile back at you.  This was a big change for me to deal with over the past year.  Now, let me be clear, over the past months there have been many people that I have gotten to know and they are wonderful and they smile all the time!  But, it was a very hard transition for me when I first arrived here last January.

Just think about it, you have absolutely no idea of what is going on in people's lives that you pass everyday. Sometimes, all people need is to see a light somewhere during their day.  Maybe it's a smile, maybe it's a nice gesture or maybe it's just acknowledging someone's presence.  There is so much darkness in this world that we live in that we need to try our hardest to shine brightly in order to remind people of the good that is still happening.  One thing I have noticed is that when I stop focusing only on myself so much and make an effort to think of others, my day actually gets better too!  Got to love those God-moment endorphins!

This is my challenge for you (and for me!)...especially during this final crunch time filled with debbi-downing exams/projects/massive papers:  try to find something to be happy about!  When we take the time to remember the good...it always outweighs the not-so-good! 

"When you focus on what you don't have or on situations that displease you, your mind also becomes darkened.  You take for granted life, salvation, sunshine, flowers, and countless other gifts from Me." -Jesus Calling

If each person focuses on something good, and tries to share that good with other people then we would have a lot more happy people with happy things to think about!...just a thought to leave you with! Here's a happy picture to start off your fantastic weekend!

(stole this from Ellen's twitpic album!)