I've had a lot of ideas swimming around in my head about different things I could post about. I usually try to have a theme of some sort, maybe something I've experienced or a life event I've been through and by sharing it with you, perhaps at least one person would benefit from it. Recently I've been exposed to other blogs and have taken an interest in reading them. Some of them have no purpose except to share with the reader the mundane events the blogger has experienced in their day, such as driving children to school, shopping for this or that, getting upset with their spouse or children - just "normal" stuff that people experience. These bloggers just make everyday stuff WORTH READING. I find myself enjoying their writings and seeing myself in what THEY do on a daily basis....and I think to myself, "Wow. The way they describe it, their mundane life is EXCITING!" That's when I realized, or RE-realized, that life is simply what you make of it. Even everyday, mundane things can be fun, eventful, 'happening' and worth writing about IF YOU SEE LIFE DIFFERENTLY, through a "happy lens", if you will.Well, as it so happens, yesterday I was 'mundanely' scrolling through Facebook and I came across a post from my college son. It was such a profound and yet simple post and I felt the need to share it with you. Now, keep in mind, with my sarcasm I ALMOST made a comment like this: "Who are you and what have you done with my son?" Of course I would have added a winky face and a "haha" (I don't do LOL), but I didn't want to take away from the sincerity and sweetness of what he wrote. Here's what this almost 19-year old child of mine wrote:
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| My son and his million dollar smile! |
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| Michael's roommates Fall 2017 |
"Please read. This is long but I want to share this with everyone. I want to share a story with everyone about what makes me happy every day. I get up in the morning only to be greeted by the best roommates ever and enjoy a ton of great morning laughs and then head out. But you know, this is where the real happiness comes in. I then walk 15 minutes to class. On my way to class, I just can't help but smile and be filled with so much joy because of where I am. I look around me and see people of many different races, backgrounds, and cultures walking by with their own lives. Each one of them has their own story, their own background, and their own life. It makes me so happy to be surrounded by people so different from me yet so similar. We have the same religious beliefs, same values, and same morals. But, we have learned all that at different times. Some of us just joined the LDS church less than a year ago and some of us have grown up since birth learning these values and morals. Some of us come from rich families and some of us from poor families. I love the fact that we come from different backgrounds, different cultures, different languages, different countries, and different everything. I know people from Brazil, Peru, Nigeria, China, Canada, Mexico, Germany, and so many other places. It just makes me so happy to think about that.
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| Pic credit - BYU-I |
I see the newlywed couple, as they walk by me in the Crossroads, laughing and smiling at each other. It gives me joy to know that they have found love and that everything that has happened to them in life has led up to the moment when they first met and knew they were the one for each other. It makes me smile, knowing that they have found love and hope that someday I can be like them. I don't know their story but one can only assume that they both have an amazing story of not only their lives together but their own personal lives with their own families and their childhoods. I see the girl crying in the art building and I can't help but just smile at her and give her that little bit of happiness because she is going through something. Whether it be a breakup, a family member passing away, or just a test that is difficult, I know that she will make it through and just needs some uplifting. I say hello and smile to the guy who rushes past me with an angry look in his face, hoping that everything is ok. He may be mad over a breakup, or a roommate doing something, or a bad grade, or maybe someone was just being rude to him. But as he walks by, I hope that that simple 5 letter word [hello] and smile helped and that he is able to forgive whatever wrong was bestowed on him.
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| Pic credit - unknown |
I notice a guy with a bunch of tattoos and a couple piercings and I wonder what his story is. He doesn't look like the typical "Mormon" and I just can't help but think about the amazing story that he must have. Maybe he went down the wrong path and made a lot of bad choices but got back on the right track or maybe he just joined the church 3 months ago and is trying to get his life together. Who knows??!! I'm just happy to see that he is here at BYU Idaho and trying to live a good life. I hold the door open for the professor as she rushes off to class. I am so thankful for her and every other professor that works on campus. They dedicate their lives so that we can learn and become better people. I'm thankful for their love in God and their inspiration in being able to strengthen our testimonies in Christ, as well as gain more knowledge for my future career. I know that they all care about me, whether I have them as a teacher or not, they all want the best for me.
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| Pic credit - unknown |
I sit in class and look around at the others in my elementary education class. I am so happy to be surrounded by people with the same interest as me. I'm so happy to know that these are the people that I'll spend the next couple years with as we all take elementary education classes to get our degree. These are the people that I will become best friends with by the time I graduate. And when we all graduate, I know that no matter where we go in the world we are doing amazing things, teaching the youth of the next generation so that they too can one day experience what we have experienced. I listen as my professor talks about herself and her family and what she loves to do. I love knowing that my professor has accomplished so much and I love getting to know her interest. It helps me relate to her and make me realize that outside of the classroom, there is so much more to her life.
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| Michael and friends from last semester |
As I leave class, I see a super cute girl and then notice she has a ring on her finger (bummer). HAHA. But seriously, I do see cute girls as I walk to class and think, "I wonder if I'll ever see her again. I wonder if by chance I will run into her again and maybe ask her on a date." I just wonder if maybe she's the one. The one for me may be a random person I see walking down the halls but I may not meet her until 2 years later. I love the fact that the people I see walking down the halls, I may not know in that moment, but sometime in the future, I may meet them again and could become best friends with any of them. But, I know that there's someone out there for me, so I don't worry about it too much. As I walk home, I see that we are all amazing people. I see what I saw before, the faces of 20,000 different and unique people. I get to my apartment only to be welcomed by my roommates who have missed me all day. I go visit my friends apartment and I can tell right away that they are so happy to see me and hang out with me. And then before I go to bed, I am able to call my family and see how they're doing because I haven't seen them in a while. I can hear the joy in their voices to be able to talk to me and hear my voice as they count down the days until I finally get home from school. At the end of the day, I'm just grateful for the people and positive atmosphere that surrounds me. We share ONLY ONE COMMON THING, and that is our belief and faith in God. This is the thing that makes me happy. This is what makes me want to get out of bed every morning so that I can go to campus and be surrounded by so many amazing people. THIS IS HOW I CONTINUE TO BE HAPPY EVERYDAY OF MY LIFE."
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| Our family - we may not be perfect but we are happy together |
Well, faithful reader, I hope you can find the joy in the journey, the happiness in every day - no matter what you are experiencing. I hope you will see others as my son so astutely described above. This son of mine has lived his life with every reason/opportunity to find the BAD in life, in people. He has grown up somewhat of an outcast because he was considered "different", "annoying", "obnoxious". He didn't get invited to birthday parties or to hang out with the guys or be with the 'popular' people. All the while, he was simply a young boy facing life each day while living with Asperger's Syndrome (not actually diagnosed until he was 13). But that's a whole other blog post some day.
The point is, even if you feel like you have everything going against you, you feel like you have no friends or that no one likes you, LOOK FOR YOUR HAPPINESS. Create your happiness by smiling at someone else and maybe helping THEM feel loved. You are NEVER ALONE. Read my son's words again and again and again. There is happiness all around us. Some days we just may need to look harder to see it.
Much love,
Debbie
