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| In this painting by my sister Myrna, I posed for the features of the baby...not much change here |
Change and Happiness
I’m not an
easy person to surprise. It may be my intuition, but even when I’m not consciously
expecting something to happen, I will ask a question about some random thing
and then someone will feel the need to spill the beans and tell me everything.
So this
morning, I was elated to walk into my kitchen for an early cup of tea to find
two enormous birthday balloons and a bag filled with coins.
Let me
explain, tomorrow I will be 52 and as my soft-spoken son pointed out yesterday,
this year I’m “Da Bomb.” (Get it; B-52, and yes, it runs in the family.)
My sister
Chris, left for her trip yesterday but had instructed my kids to decorate the
kitchen and leave the coins for me to see.
Each year
for my birthday, I ask for change and evolution of the heart; that we all try
to be a better version of ourselves. As a token of the sentiment, my family
saves up their change (as do I) and gives it to me. I use the change for some
silly present that I normally would not buy for myself. Last year I got a coin
counting machine (very practical for the change I get) a pair of pajama
jeans---cause really, I mean come on, who comes up with this stuff; and a pair
of false eye lashes. With the rest of the change I took the family to dinner.
I love this
present and often forget it and my birthday. Like most years, I’ll be working tomorrow
and I am very grateful to do so. This year I’m more forgetful than most, so
everyone has been reminding me that I had a birthday coming.
This morning
I was elated by this unexpected happiness.
One of my
favorite scriptures teaches us to encourage others with acts of kindness and
love. In other words, we are to do something for someone in the hopes that it
will encourage them to do something kind for someone else.
I am moved,
overjoyed, elated and encouraged to show kindness and love to someone because
someone has shown it to me.
What can you
do to encourage love in others?
It doesn’t take much;
just a little change.
Be you, be well, be
encouraging.
Bertice Berry, PhD.
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