The Traveler's Gift Part II

                Another quote I really like came from the historical character in the book, Anne Frank.  When asked in The Traveler’s Gift if she is always in a good mood, she responds “Of course not, silly?  But if I ever find myself in a bad mood, I immediately make a choice to be happy.  In fact, it is the first choice I make every day.  I say out loud to my mirror, ‘Today, I will choose to be happy!’  I smile into the mirror and laugh even if I am sad.  I just say, ‘Ha, ha, ha, ha!’  And soon, I am happy, exactly as I have chosen to be” page 102.  The “choice to be happy.”  What a wonderful concept.  Here was a girl caged in a small space with seven or so people not being able to go outside and living in the fear of being captured by the Nazi.  She chooses to be happy.

                Last month when my son, daughter, and I were in Missoula looking for an apartment for him, the trailblazer wouldn’t start.  I called my husband 121 miles away.  As if there was anything he could do.  We called other friends and family that actually lived in town.  The heat poured down on us.  I took the daughter into the shade to read her book as we waited for someone to rescue us.  About an hour later, Sarah came and they jumped the vehicle.  I feared of a dead battery, so asking my cousin where to go, we drove to the location, another hour or two to wait with a very bored nine-year-old.  I was grumpy.  My son lovingly reminded me of these words from the book trying to cheer me up.  I would love to say it worked instantly, but it didn’t.  Nazi Germany seemed too far removed to touch my emotions.  We walked across the street to Hastings to shop and have a drink.  The entire time, Anne’s words followed me around the book stacks.  Finally with a little caffeine, a new book, and a new battery, we went to another apartment and I was doing better.  I was choosing to be happy.

                Choosing to be happy is very hard.  Yet, the happier we are the further pain and suffering is to affect us.  Anne didn’t wallow in her misery of being in her situation.  We shouldn’t either.  We need to choose to do productive things even in the midst of great peril.  We also need to pray.  I did a lot of that while dealing with the dead battery.  Choose to be happy and choose to pray.  With these two actions, life is so much more rewarding.

                Blessings to you all.

                Okay, I have to have a side note on this one.  In The Lion King, young Simba announces, “I laugh in the face of danger.  Ha ha ha ha!”  Keep laughing!