I was at the flea market on Saturday and I came across a sign that brought a smile to my face. It said, "Scatter joy!" Without thinking, I gently touched the shoulder of a woman standing next to me and asked her, "Isn't that a great sign?" She jerked her shoulder away from me and scowled for all the world to see. At first I was angry and I thought how pitiful it was that she obviously didn't know how to scatter anything but disdain.
But just as quickly as I had that thought, I had another. Maybe, just maybe, someone needed to scatter joy into her world. Why should I be offended and then have someone see me scowl at her and so on and so on and so on? I smiled just as sweetly as I could, and told her that her sweater was beautiful. I moved back so that she could go ahead of me and I purposed not to have one negative thought about the encounter.
It's so easy to take offense and just write people off. On the other hand, it's so hard to purpose in our hearts not to take offense. When I am determined not to let other's moods steal my joy, then I find that I am much more able to scatter a little of it around for other people.
I hope that, as a wife, mother, friend and stranger, I scatter joy into people's lives. What if people's lives are brightened when their paths cross mine? What if I can have an effect on someone's day? Thinking about that makes me so much more aware of my countenance and my body language and facial expressions. Our joy cannot be stolen, we can only give it away!!!
But just as quickly as I had that thought, I had another. Maybe, just maybe, someone needed to scatter joy into her world. Why should I be offended and then have someone see me scowl at her and so on and so on and so on? I smiled just as sweetly as I could, and told her that her sweater was beautiful. I moved back so that she could go ahead of me and I purposed not to have one negative thought about the encounter.
It's so easy to take offense and just write people off. On the other hand, it's so hard to purpose in our hearts not to take offense. When I am determined not to let other's moods steal my joy, then I find that I am much more able to scatter a little of it around for other people.
I hope that, as a wife, mother, friend and stranger, I scatter joy into people's lives. What if people's lives are brightened when their paths cross mine? What if I can have an effect on someone's day? Thinking about that makes me so much more aware of my countenance and my body language and facial expressions. Our joy cannot be stolen, we can only give it away!!!
You have scattered much joy in my life!
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