Happy Valentine’ Day, sweet readers!
Did you craft a Valentine for someone from last week’s post?
If you are careful in cutting out the heart shape in the front piece, you have a handy heart to place on a rectangle of paper that can be taped onto blank card stock. Two cards for one!
Listening to a favorite meditation message from Amit Sood recently, I was reminded about how we share in spreading happiness. I call it, “making the day.”
He said, no matter our job or station in life, each of us has a job description that includes being a “Happiness Officer.”
Bottom line, it’s up to each of us to spread happiness wherever we go. Every day.
I am pleased to report that many people do this – or at least, many people join me as I endeavor to make light of potentially frustrating situations.
Today’s return of goods to a local big box hardware store seemed to drag on forever.
As one who frequently is frustrated with computer glitches, I turned a sympathetic ear to the cashier who was trying to get information from a new system. When that failed, she tried the old system. Even her boss was not getting the information needed to complete the return.
Noting a line had formed behind me, I apologized for the delay to them. The next in line said it was okay, and I commented in a lighthearted fashion something about, “you gotta love computers.”
The store’s music system was playing a lively tune which I may have bounced to. These days, especially, I want everyone around me to pick up on a body language and tone of voice from me that says I am patient and understanding. We never know who we might be influencing.
When a resolution to the situation was developed, I expressed appreciation for their diligence, creativity, and customer care.
With news about people on their last thread of sanity doing regrettable things, it seems to be more important than ever to take our job description of “Happiness Officer” to heart.
Speaking of happiness … I really like oatmeal, but …
How do you dress up a serving of leftover oatmeal?
We jokingly call my mixture of gluten-free: Oatmeal, steel cut oats, buckwheat, and ground flax seed, “gruel,” and I frequently prepare extra just to have leftovers.
I store and refrigerate the leftover hot cereal in a loaf-shaped dish so I can cut off 1/2 inch slices to brown in a pan with a dab of butter on medium heat the next day.
These browned slices can be eaten plain or dressed up with fresh or cooked fruit. Today, I cooked some Mackintosh apples until they were almost like applesauce and put a dollop on each slice. Yum.
Can you find a situation you can adorn with your brand of happiness?
May we all be Happiness Officers to everyone –
Deidre
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