A joy renewed all because of smiles, happiness of others

As we prepared for Christmas, we were becoming weary from all the traveling. Our week started out celebrating our middle child’s birthday. This year we decided to do it different so we told Lilli she could invite one friend to her party.

Rather than doing as we had the previous years, having a large party with several of her friends, we chose to go on a birthday adventure. Choosing Springfield, we challenged her to choose where she wanted to eat and what she wanted to do for the two-day excursion. She found the concept exciting and quickly did some research and compiled a list of things to do.

As the adventure came to an end, her mother and I realized that the new birthday strategy, although admirable, was simply exhausting.

What we also realized was that the girls felt the same. Upon heading home to drop off her friend, we began the second leg of our journey, and traveled to the Cape for some medical appointments. The first night was solemn and very uneventful as our little family for the most part had the energy to simply sit around the motel and rest from the prior day’s adventure.

With the dawning of the next day the excitement began to brew again. Following dropping Momma off for her doctor’s appointment, the girls and I headed over to the mall where we would complete some shopping and just have some fun.

Surprisingly, as we made our way through the mall, I noticed that the girls weren’t quite themselves. Still fatigued, and for the most part not in their normal conquer-all mode we slowly made our way, taking ample time to sit and people watch while discussing the craziness off how tired we all were.

When mom got done, we rapidly went to pick her up and then returned for some more mall related fun. As we walked past the nail salon, I couldn’t help but joke about getting my manicure, a joke the girls routinely give me a hard time about since I’m the only family member who hasn’t partaken in that “heavenly” experience according to the ladies.

As we passed, my wife decided to stop and get her nails done so we decided to allow the girls to do the same. As the trio prepared to be seated, I decided that society and the nail worker would be best served if I simply observed at a distance so I gingerly found a seat in the main passageway outside the salon. As the ladies got their nails, washed, trimmed, gelled, and painted I looked on, amazed at the pampering process taking place before me. One thing that stood out to me was the smiles of excitement I saw on the faces of my daughters.

The opportunity to sit with their mom and get pampered was priceless to them and superceded any weariness they felt. Seeing the smiles of joy and the excitement of the process on the faces of my girls, in a sense lit a smoldering ember deep within me. No longer had the weeks events caused weariness because the tiredness I was feeling was replaced with an excitement for what I was seeing. I was re-energized through my children’s excitement.

Sometimes we simply must look for the smiles in life to renew our own excitement for what’s going on around us. For it is through the smiles, that our day can be brightened and a renewed spirit of joyousness re-kindled. Friends, look around and find joy in the happiness of others. The act will undoubtedly broaden your own joy.

Richard J. Stephens lives in Carter County and is the father of three little ladies ranging in age from nine to 29.