Civility Week 39, September 24, 2012

 

 

“Let nothing steal your joy!”

 

My daughter was having a rough day at work, nothing horrible but a day full of those little cripes and complaints that tend to get you down.  She is a hard worker and always tries to put on a happy smiling face to other people. But today she was getting pelted with temptations to think the whole world was going to heck in a hand basket.   She stopped in one of the departments of the store she works and one of the employees stopped her and said, “You just always have such a wonderful smile on your face! You just light up the room wherever you go!”

It was just the thing she needed to remind her that no body can steal your joy!

It’s hard to work day in and day out wearing a smile on your face, not letting the busyness of life or all the bad news on the internet get you down. As a parent, raising kids, you begin to get worried about the world you’ve brought your children into; is it safe? Will they find someone good to be friends with? To love?

Part of the lesson on civility this year has been to me at least, in learning to be civil I cannot let people or events steal my joy. And I should be careful not to steal other people’s joy. If I’m feeling bad or down, trying hard not to let that rub off on someone else can be difficult. But it’s a lesson to be learned. Why bring everyone else down? 

Part of being a civil society is being positive and hopeful.  It’s that hope and positive attitude that helps make us civil toward each other.

So, don’t let the world make you uncivil and never, EVER let the world or other people, steal your joy!

It’s yours to keep, forever!