Random Happiness

In the spirit of noticing things more, of looking up and finding small moments that make me smile here is a random list of 5 things that made me smile over the past weekend.

1)      Fundraising at the mall for The Children’s Hospital we borrowed their mascot suit and so my job was to be Dr. Goodbears escort for the day. It's impossible not to smile when you see the faces of child after child so very excited to see a giant bear who can hug back.

2)      Winning a game of Life. I know the outcome in a game of life has no bearing on any actual skills but still, everyone likes to win.

3)      New flowers in my favorite planters. It has not been a good gardening year, the deer have been quite destructive and I haven’t had a lot of time to spend tending to plants this year. These planters died out when we were away during some of the hottest days as the person who had volunteered to water for me didn’t.  The lack of colour in these planters has bothered me all summer so it’s nice to see them brightened up.  

4)      Feeding the geese and ducks at the Assiniboine park duck pond. They are always somewhat amusing to watch, well except when they chase you. Let me tell you Canadian Geese have got some attitude.

5)      Making fun of the planetarium show we saw on Sunday as a family. It had clearly been produced in the mid 70’s. That’s the problem with being museum members we aren’t as selective in the planetarium shows we see and end up watching even the crappy ones. Fun though to poke fun at them afterwards. Aha Pluto IS a planet, the planetarium still says so after all!

Smile

Sorry for such a late post however I’ve been having issues with blogger and haven’t been able to get it to post.  I’ve been having problems with comments here and elsewhere for the past 2 weeks as well but this was the first time I couldn’t post at all.

Anyways I went out with a friend to a movie last night and we separated for a few moments when we came in to each get our popcorn and I happened to notice a girl next in line staring fixedly at the cell phone in her hand.  I watched as she stepped up to the counter glanced up mumbled #3 and went back to her phone and whatever it was she was doing.

She managed to go through the rest of the transaction without another word, she wasn't consciously being rude she just seemed utterly disconnected from those around her or the boy right in front of her.  She looked at the clerk as no more than an ATM for popcorn and pop.  She didn’t really see him at all.

So I looked around at others nearby and I noticed there seemed to be quite a few of these people, people who seemed distracted and disconnected focused either inward or on something really anything but on those right infront of them. 

It bothers me, how is it so many people have forgotten or perhaps never known how much better a day can be with those little niceties of day to day interaction?  A simple hello and a moment of actual attention takes no real effort yet subtly shifts a routine moment to what is still a routine moment but a more pleasant one.

You can bet if each and every person gave the people behind the counter a smile and a moments notice their night would be a better one.  The job wouldn’t change they would be doing the same thing yet it would still be better. 

So I promise always to remember to give a smile and say thanks whenever someone helps me even if they are being paid to do it.  It costs me nothing but might get me a smile in return and I've just realized how important that really is.