One never knows the impact he or she will have on anyone on any certain day.
Attitudes are contagious and depending on whether your attitude is good or bad can determine how your day is going to be. A smile sent out to everyone that you meet will send more smiles from these people to others and before long all these people will be in a pleasant mood.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could send a smile to everyone in the world? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could give a pleasant greeting or a friendly wave to everyone we see or meet? This is not too much to ask of people especially when it takes fewer facial muscles to smile than it does to frown.
Christmas time is near and as you meet people on the street you will see more cheerful attitudes, friendly smiles and festive hellos. There is something about the Christmas season that brings the best of us to the forefront.
Maybe it is the spirit of giving gifts that brightens our outlook. Maybe it is the Christlike attitudes of joy and fellowship with our family, neighbors, and friends that we want so much. This is the time of year that we remember the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord and we are thankful to Him for His saving grace.
I received the following story about a young boy and an old man, strangers to each other, but friends through a relationship to God. It all started with a positive and pleasant greeting and a caring attitude.
We need to always remember that we may be only one person in the world; however, we may the world to only one person! It is all about attitude and love. How does your attitude and outlook to your neighbor, friend, and your family stack up?
A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer, and he started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.
The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.
The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.
Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, “What did you do today that made you so happy?
“He replied, “I had lunch with God.” But before his mother could respond, he added, “You know what? God’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”
Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face, and he asked,” Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?”
He replied, “I ate Twinkies in the park with God.” However, before his son responded, he added,” You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!
~author unknown~ Prayer: Father God, thank you for family, friends and strangers. You have a master plan and sometimes we may not understand what it is, all we must do is have faith in you and you will provide. Thank you for being a gracious and loving God. Amen.
