shafts of sunlight

Before I re-claimed my own life, I used to work in a building in the city. The big, imposing, front entrance was mostly shadowed by surrounding buildings. Every lunch time, I would rush out to buy lunch, which I would bring back to eat at my desk. And every day, I would see a man who was visually impaired, standing out the front, in a single shaft of sunlight, eating his home-made sandwich and listening to headphones. I don’t know what he was listening to but he always looked happy.

I was riding past the building last week and I thought of him. Then I thought about how it is possible, in the simplest of ways, to find your own shafts of sunlight. Why not change your screen saver, so the background to your working life is that light-filled picture of your cheeky niece choking with laughter. Drink from a coffee cup that feels good to hold. Be brave and smile at your local lollipop-person on your walk to work (they always smile back!) Choose to write with a pen that flows smoothly. Or stick a leaf in a jar and put it on your desk.

Whatever you do, do something! Introducing just a few, small chunks of joy is a fail.safe way to boost your everyday happiness.