You Can Make Someone's Day

Ok, I don't deny that life is a series of ups and downs, and everyone has their own struggles, often hidden from view but while we can't always see what others are going through, small acts of kindness can have a surprisingly large impact. These little gestures can brighten someone’s day and remind us all of the goodness in the world. Today, I want to share a personal story that perfectly illustrates this.

It's often the smallest acts of kindness that make the biggest difference. A smile, a kind word, or a simple gesture can turn someone’s day around. These moments of connection remind us that we are not alone and that there is always a reason to hope and find joy.

One day when I was out for a walk around lunchtime, I noticed a little girl at a bus stop with her mother. She saw me coming and smiled and waved. I waved back at her, which she liked. As I got closer, she held up her little hand. I had just passed her when I realised that she was giving me a high-five. I stopped, turned, and held my hand in front of her hand. She slapped my palm with her little hand then bounded over to her mother with a big, excited smile on her face. That small incident made me smile the whole day whenever I thought about it. Really, how little do we need to be happy!

I remember a quote "I find that when someone says I made their day, it makes mine as well." 

Just Another Day - Part 2

I don't want to leave my readers with a depressing picture of me moping around the house on my birthday, so an update is required.

while the reasons for me being sad and lonely yesterday were quite valid and real, by late afternoon I decided I had had enough of that. And I decided to try and cheer myself up.

Remember Barney? "When I am sad, I decide to stop being sad and be awesome instead! True Story!"

First good thing was that the phone I had ordered was going to be delivered today, but to my home address. I had been obsessing about it all day and tracking it on the web hoping they wouldn't try to deliver before I got home to sign for it. They did. But fortunately, instead of it going back to the depot, a nice neighbour signed for it. So I had it as soon as I got home. Step 1 done.

(If you are wondering, it's a Samsung Galaxy S2 and it's amazing!)

Once home, I called my Mum. And as I had said before my kids keep the spirit alive. So my Mum wished me right off the bat. Then I talked to the kids who had been bubbling to wish me and hoping I'd call. Then I talked to my brother as well. That took care of the homesickness, kind of. Step 2 done.

Then after my evening nap (remember I am still biphasic), I went out to the leisure centre with a couple of new colleagues/friends, who, by the way, are great! We watched The In-betweeners, a movie I had been planning to miss. But it was surprisingly good! I enjoyed it very much!

Then we played pool which I love especially now that I am getting a little better at it with all the practice I am getting. When we got hungry we faced Pizza Hut. But they were closing in 15 minutes. So we bought a couple of pizzas and used their outdoor tables to have ourselves a picnic dinner. With the weather so nice and cool, it was very good.

Then we played some more pool until they kicked us out at closing time. I got home past midnight,having used up every minute of my birthday time.

So, even though I started the day feeling sorry for myself, with help from friends and family I closed it on a higher note! Take from it what you will!

The Shirt of Happiness

Once upon a time, there was a king who was rich and powerful and respected and feared by the neighbour kings. His ministers were intelligent and hard-working. He had a beautiful wife who loved him very much. He had a son and a daughter who were obedient and fast learners. His subjects were loyal and paid their taxes on time. The Royal vault was full of money.

(I know you are waiting for the "but"...here we go)

BUT he was not happy. Ever since his coronation nobody had ever seen the king smile. As the months passed, his mood stayed dull and actually turned to melancholy.

The Royal Vaidya was summoned. He checked as best he could, but couldn't find a single thing wrong with the king's health. He prescribed some general medicines to try and cheer the king up. Nothing worked. Then other medicine men were consulted, doctors, vaidyas and even tantrics. Needless to say, nobody could figure out what was wrong with the king or how to cure it. The ministers all but gave up.

(You know the twist is coming, right?)

Then one day a sadhu baba arrived in the kingdom (no, not baba Sunilanand). Babaji was famous for his wisdom and his miraculous powers of healing. The king's ministers wasted no time in calling him to the Royal Court to see the king.

The sadhu looked at the king, talked to him, and declared that he had diagnosed the king's disease and he could cure it.

Prime Minister: What's wrong with our king, baba?

Baba: He is sad. He needs to have his happiness replenished.

Prime Minister: How will your cure him, Baba?

Baba: I can cure his disease, I have done so many times. I need only one thing.

PM: What's that?

Baba: Find a man who is happy, truly happy. Then borrow his shirt. The king needs to wear this shirt for one day and then the king will be happy again.

PM: Only that? I will arrange for this right away.

The PM asked the courtier next to him for his shirt. The courtier agreed readily, but before the shirt could be passed to the king, the sadhu asked, "But are you happy? Truly happy?"

"No maharaj", the courtier replied..and out came a list of his problems. It seemed like he had reasons to be sadder than the king himself.

(And now the plot thickens...)

The prime minister asked the next courtier. Same story, eagerness to lend his shirt to the king, but also a list of woes long as his arm. Then it was the turn of the king's ministers. They were much more richer and more powerful than the courtiers so success was almost guaranteed. But to everyone's surprise, these powerful, affluent creatures were also not really happy. Each had something that made him worry, made him sad, or stole his happiness. For some it was an errant son, for some it was an unwed daughter, some were saddened by the family affairs, others  by business matters. But all in all there was not one truly happy man in that court, up to and including the PRIME MINISTER!

So, the net was spread wider. The families of those present in court were asked with the same result. Then the whole city was scoured for a man who was truly happy and could lend his shirt to the king. Unfortunately, not one could be found!

The Prime Minister was dedicated to his king's happiness. He created a special task force and sent messengers all over the kingdom to find such a man. There must be at least one truly happy man in the kingdom!

(Enter, the hero)

While going from village to village one day 2 royal messengers happened upon a shepherd. This man was sitting in a tree playing the flute while his sheep were grazing around. The messengers asked him, like they had asked 19,259 people before him, if he was truly happy. To their amazement, he replied yes!

This was it! This is what they wanted!! The whole puzzle was solved! Now they only had to do one thing..

Messenger1: Listen, we need you to do a big favour for our king.
Shepherd: Anything for the king. Long live the king!
Messenger2: We need you to lend us your shirt for the king.
Shepherd: Sir, I don't have money to buy food for tomorrow, where will I get money to buy a shirt!

Indeed the man was shirtless! This created a problem for the messengers. But dedicated and intelligent men of action as they were they simple took the shepherd with them and presented him to the king with the full story.

(And the climax...)

When the king met this man who had no shirt, no shoes, and had to work every day in order to be able to eat in the evening, he realized that he had many more reasons to be happy than the poor shepherd.

With the sadhu's help and guidance, within a few days the king learnt to find the happiness within him and nothing saddened him again, except when Ekta Kapoor's new serial was announced.

Moral of the story: If you want to be happy, buy a freaking flute!

Happy Valentine's Day!

No, I am not going to go into a tirade about the phoniness of this "festival" or the conspiracy of the retailers, the mood I am in, I'd just say, life is but a fleeting moment, grasp any happiness that you can, by any excuse available to you.

Happy Valentine's Day!