What would you do today to make yourself happy? I know what I chose and what surprised me and made me even happier than I expected to be.

It was the weekend and I woke up quite early. In spite of efforts to sleep a bit late my body said that it was wide awake so I rolled out of the bed and headed to my great room. First I made my morning tea. While it was steeping I opened all of the blinds even though it was still dark outside. Not a soul seemed to be joining me in the early hours of the day but I was content to simply enjoy the silence and wait to see the first hints of sunlight.

I settled into my recliner and did some reading followed by morning puzzle time. I was moving through my routines so fast that it was still not yet daylight so I sipped on my tea and took my daily pills while scanning through messages on Facebook. Suddenly as I scrolled through posts I saw a short video of Barack Obama and Zohran Mamdani reading a book and singing songs with children at a daycare center in New York City. They were having so much fun and so were the kids that the smile on my face grew wider and wider until I chuckled out loud with delight watching the two good men spreading joy to utterly delightful children. It was a sight that set a positive tone for the rest of my day. 

I had planned to clean bathrooms and my kitchen, which is hardly a fun thing to do, but I was in such a positive mood that I was literally whistling while I worked. Somehow the vision of those youngsters so innocently singing The Wheels On the Bus stayed with me throughout the day. Somehow everything seemed easier and of no concern because I had felt the joy in that room and saw that the two men had felt it as well. 

Isn’t it amazing how one wonderful image can affect ones mood for an entire day? I found myself zipping through my chores and feeling gratitude for my home that was becoming squeaky clean. I felt like one of those seven dwarfs coming home form work at the mines but still smiling with all of my might. 

Before the day dawned one of my daughters had sent the same video to me and we both agreed that it was such a lovely thing to see given that there is so much anger and turmoil in the world. Sometimes it is the children who teach us how to be happy. Their joy is infectious and it is almost impossible not to join in their celebratory spirit. 

I had dreaded having to clean countertops and toilets and floors in a routine that comes around over and over again. Instead my spirits were so bright that I would have tackled any task with a silly smile planted on my face. It is the children who remind us how to love and celebrate our innocence. As Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “the youth of today are the sole investment for tomorrow.” The time and love that we provide them will pay beautiful dividends in the future. We don’t have to spend lots of money to let them know that they are important to us. Sometimes just singing and laughing with them is the only message that they need to know that everything is going to be alright. 

I love adults who are able to have fun with children without focusing attention on themselves. Children don’t want or need to hear adult problems. There will be time enough when they are older to become more serious. Kindness and joy is what they need. They know who is truly interested in their well being and who is just going through the motions of appearing to care what happens to them.

I recently began teaching math to a delightfully clever little boy. He is a joy filled little soul with a tiny spark of impishness. I know that our lessons can never be all business. He has to have time to tell me about the books that he is reading or that he is planning a podcast for his friends. I take his earnestness seriously and encourage him to keep finding ways to widen his world with reading and creating. The math comes far more easily when he knows that I like him and that it will be okay if he makes a mistake here and there. 

Children are the most important people on our planet. Our goal should always be to make certain that they are safe from harm. We can’t stop every tragedy but we should be circumspect in doing things that might make them collateral damage from our mistakes. We should strive to shield them from war and famine and hate. We are their protectors and that is one of the most important jobs that we may do. When I see two good men sending the children a message that they are safe I am enchanted. There is nothing more worthwhile. 

I had a happy day that went all the way until I read that children were killed in a family dispute. I have harsh words for those who would dare to harm little ones for any reason. I cry at the thought of their lives being so damaged because some adult became angry and decided to aim that anger at little ones who should instead have been sheltered and loved. 

I hope I see happier times on the horizon, not so much for me but for the children. They don’t need to endure our pettiness or our anger. We should always be laughing and singing and celebrating life in their presence. We owe to them to find joy in being with them. Who knows, maybe we might even carry such happiness over to all of our days.