To be a positive, happy person: how to cultivate that within? Sometime we encounter people who, despite carrying great burdens, exude such generosity of spirit as to render us dour ones contrite. These those folk who despite profound loss, hardship or inner pain, nevertheless have a smile for all they meet, lightening the load for others.
In our tradition we have that notion that to smile is a charity, but how many of us actually practice it? Most of us, it seems, are unsettled by our bitter anger, neither at peace with the world nor ourselves. Most of our output is negative, full of condemnation and rebuke. Few are those that reflect light and love. When you meet folk that do, you feel it all the more.
I wish I was such a person. I wish that I had a soul that exuded light, and that selfless kindness that lights the way for others. I wish I wasn’t such a cynical grump, given to periods of melancholy, long-lasting regret and inexplicable anxiety. I wish I was a happy, positive person, reflective of the path of mercy. I wish I could lift myself to a higher plane, truly content with the immense blessings of my Lord. It’s time to change my narrative.
Last modified: 9 July 2023
