Vind jou glimlag

Hoe baie glimlag jy? Ek vermoed die meeste van ons is nie regtig bewus hiervan nie. Baie van ons gaan nogal regtig ernstig deur die lewe – dalk omdat ons voel dat die lewe tog ‘n ernstige saak is. So ‘n ruk terug praat ek met iemand oor vriendelikheid en hy sê: “Wees eerlik, daar is ook baie dinge in ‘n dag wat nie ‘n glimlag regverdig nie.” Natuurlik is hy reg – maar net gedeeltelik en tot op ‘n punt. 

Het jy al gesien wat gebeur wanneer iemand met ‘n glimlag in ‘n vertrek instap? Dit is letterlik asof daar ‘n lig aangaan. Selfs die mees stoere mens sukkel om iemand wat opreg en vriendelik glimlag te weerstaan. Hier praat ek natuurlik nie van ‘n aangeplakte, stroperige vriendelikheid nie, maar van ‘n diep eg vriendelike teenwoordigheid. Die frekwensie van die hele vertrek en atmosfeer skuif! Letterlik. Oor sulke mense het Moeder Teresa op ‘n keer gesê: “Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls. No one can resist a joyful person.”

Ongelukkig is dit waar dat daar baie kunsmatigheid in ons samelewing is. Instagram en Facebook is seker een van die grootste tentoonstellings van hierdie kunsmatigheid. Daarom is dit juis ons as God se mense se verantwoordelikheid om met egtheid te leef en om vanuit ‘n egte bron van vriendelikheid, sagmoedigheid, goedhartigheid en lewensvreugde op te tree – selfs wanneer ons nie noodwendig so voel nie. God se Gees is nie afhanklik van of ons so voel nie, maar van die opregte motief en intensie van ons harte.

Ek lees ‘n ruk terug hierdie aangrypende stuk van Benjamin Holmgren: “Years ago I learned something from Brené Brown that I still use every single day: When you get home to your spouse, kids, dog or whatever, before you open the door, put a smile on your face!

It doesn't matter how your day went. Or what you're doing next. Or if you're starving.

For 30 seconds, at least pretend that you're elated to see them. Make them feel like you were looking forward to getting back home. After all, they're your favorite people in the whole world, I hope.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "That seems like a cheesy, tiny thing, man. Hardly an earth-shattering revelation." But your attitude sets the tone for the rest of the evening within 15 seconds of walking in the door.

So really, it's not tiny at all. It's a huge deal. Because you come home every day. And the things you do every day grind on you. Jordan Peterson says if you can fix 25 little things like "coming home," you will have an extraordinary life.

Taking your family to Disneyland is insignificant. Your kid's expensive birthday party will be forgotten within weeks. Coming home? That's your whole life. Fix it. Start today."

Die kans dat jou dag uitmergelend was of dat daardie laaste vergadering of verkeer die laaste lewensap uit jou gesuig het of dat jou bekommernisse oor die kinders en hulle lewenskeuses en die uitgawes wat al weer meer is as die inkomste en die enorme bedrag geld wat jy moes betaal vir jou drie sakkies kruideniersware, jou skouers krom trek, is baie goed. En daarmee saam dat jy glad nie lus voel om te glimlag nie. Maar probeer dit – opreg – uit die diepte van jou hart – en kyk wat gebeur, nie net op hulle gesigte nie, maar ook binne-in jou en tussen mekaar.

Mag Tone Mellard se woorde jou vandag inspireer:  "This is how I always know an

ancient soul - one who has been through the depths of hell and back, been drug down into the abyss, and shattered.

You can see they are tired, and yet still are trying. Still put forth the energy to smile. Give a kind word, or gesture. Even despite the scars, which have kept them sutured together.

These are simultaneously the toughest, and most beautiful souls in all of creation. Depth far greater than any ocean. The ones whom, through all violence and strife accumulated, still operate from their loving soul. Offering that which they rarely received. The ultimate transmutators. Frequency shifters.”

Dalk kan jy dit sommer nou ‘n klein bietjie oefen – as jy wil. Glimlag net daar waar jy nou sit, op jou eie en intensioneel en voel wat gebeur binne-in jou.

My wens vir jou: Mag jy weer begin om jou glimlag te vind!

“Be the monarch of your life

and sign the decree

to exile suffering

and call back from all points of the universe

the power of birds and flowers,

the vitality of youth.

The whole universe will smile

when your eyes smile.”

–      Thich Nhat Hanh

©️ Marina vd Linde 2024