Count It All Joy

It’s sad when we have to hear stories of deep sorrow, the kind that makes us feel like we’re suffocating in an ocean of despair or want to give up on tomorrow, in order to appreciate the little moments of happiness. Why do we often need the darkness to respect the light? Or the cold to treasure the warmth?

We often take for granted the little joys in life. The man driving the white SUV who let you switch lanes without a fuss. The colleague who orders Chinese delivery with you even though they brought lunch from home because the restaurant has a delivery minimum. The friend who stayed up late to keep you company online and didn’t even know how it made the day better for you. The guy from the deli who gives you a discount on your tuna melt sandwich, not because he has an agenda but because he’s nice.

I need to remind myself every day that little annoyances are facts of life but so are precious moments of friendship, generosity, courtesy, and love. So many things used to peeve me: the person who cuts in line at the grocery store, teenagers in the subway who scream at random moments because they have something exciting to say to the friend seated next to them, drivers who blow their horns at you on the first millisecond that the light turns from red to green, people who leave their used medical gloves on MY table, etc. 

If we’re not careful, these minor irritations could steal our peace and our sanity. One day, I woke up and realized that I have much more to be thankful for than be miffed at. Instead of being disgruntled at the driver who parked his car too close to mine, I counted it a blessing that at least he didn’t leave a scratch on the fender. Instead of being cross at an airline for their inconvenient connecting flight procedures, at least they assigned me a seat next to an empty one. And instead of being displeased at a co-worker who saw a patient at the time I had them scheduled, I thanked them for the unexpected free time.

There are so many things to be stressed about but thank God there are more reasons to smile, laugh, and be happy for. 

Smile!