"Those are the happiest people I know."
A blog post with this title has been ruminating in my head for about a year. It was originally about shoes, but now its about Tanzanian's. Let me explain.
I know a girl who works in the shoe department at Von Maur. I have to admit that I was surprised to hear her say that working there is the best job she's ever had. She claims: "These are the happiest people I've ever met." This is not a flaky superficial girl either, she's spiritual, she's a church goer, she prays, she even meditates. All that and she still says, customers in the shoe department at Von Maur are the happiest people she's ever met.
I think I agree with her. The shoe department at Von Maur is one of my happy places. Even if I don't buy anything, I could spend an hour just perusing the possibilities. In the shoe department you don't have to worry about how much weight you've gained or how tall/short your legs are - shoes look good on everybody. This makes a shoe shopper happy.
But I started to rethink this theory on Sunday. I heard someone declare at a Tanzania meeting that "Tanzanian's are the happiest people I know." I couldn't disagree with her either. I've never seen bigger smiles than on my friends in Tanzania. These people, who have next to nothing by way of material possessions, have everything by way of sheer joy and happiness. It's no wonder that a very common girl's name there is "Happy."
I am laughing at the irony of comparing shoe shoppers (perhaps the quintessential expression of American greed) to Tanzanians (the very picture of humility and generosity). Our perspective makes such a difference, doesn't it? If you're looking for happiness - you're going to find it. If you're looking for greed, you're going to find it. If you're looking for despair, you'll find it.
So I've been keeping my eyes open for happiness - and I'm finding it, not only in shoes and Tanzanian friends but in:
- The laughter in my small group at the frequency with which we get off topic.
- The joy a young boy named Marvin finds in reading.
- The "cheese sandwich" I made with my nephew out of two couch cushions and a story book. (Which, by the way, was delicious.)
- The "ah-ha's" people are having as they read Enough.
- The excitement building for Thanksgiving worship and time with family.
- The anticipated "white stuff."
Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 (TNIV)
What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.
Who are the happiest people you know?
Pastor Sara
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