It works to cure the
ills that are plaguing us
1.
Why is joy healthier?
Isn’t it better to get the anger and frustration out
of your system when it seems that the sky is
falling? Yes, for a moment, but as a general rule -
if you sit in misery, it spreads and you become
despondent and depressed. Then you need medication.
Then the people around you – your spouse, mate,
friend, child, boss, employee and the mailman gets
depressed or frustrated dealing with you.
You look like a grouch - like
you’ve been sucking on lemons or pickles all
afternoon. Then why bother with plastic surgery?
Just to frown all day and ruin a good doctor’s
reputation? Cancer patients are given comedies like
the Three Stooges and the I Love Lucy show to watch.
And they actually get better. It may not help cure
the disease but it certainly allows for a more
pleasant patient. It has been proven that laughter
makes sick people recover faster and more fully.
But a sick patient is one
thing.
Our sick economy is another.
The economy may need to recover
– and it will. Believe.
But you as an individual need
to wait for it to recover and do your own thing.
Whatever that is.
You are not sick – just shocked
from the loss of a job or your cash or the news.
Get over it.
In surveys taken on happiness,
do we industrialized, economically powerful
countries ever win?
Are you kidding?
We’re not even close.
Places in third world countries
like desert or mountainous regions seem to have the
happiest people. And it’s because everyone has the
same net worth. So no more keeping up with the
Joneses. Or the Chullis or the Mehtas or the
Achmandidijads. Well you get the idea.
I heard a 97 year old make a
speech about old age – the best part of old age she
said –“No peer pressure!.”
2. Joy is more spiritual
because being spiritual involves being grateful for
being alive. It doesn’t matter who you’re grateful
to. God, the Lord, the Universe, The Yankees,
Madonna, your doctor or your mother. Be grateful you
had a mother. Even your mother.
When you wake up each morning
and you can enjoy food, drink, meditation, other
people, your work and hobbies, music, film, art,
theater and sports – be grateful. Thank people when
they help you. Thank people for being themselves.
Hey - nice job doorman, thanks for helping me with
the door. Hey – thanks cabbie for driving me so
quickly to my destination and not playing Afghani
music and getting into an accident.
3.
It helps those around
you. When you smile the world smiles with you. What
you never heard this expression? Well it’s true.
Miserable people make others miserable. You be the
shining light. That doesn’t mean you have to be
Pollyanna. Just be yourself. That other self. The
one that’s nice.
And don’t bother people. They
have enough worries without you.
Reminds me of the story where
the lady of the house answers the doorbell and a man
tells her he’s the piano tuner. “Well, I didn’t
order a piano tuner”, she says. “I know – your
neighbors did!.”
4.
It helps the world. And
here you thought you couldn’t make a difference. You
don’t have to meditate on top of a mountain. You
don’t have to take Kabbalah classes. You don’t have
to find a cure for cancer. You don’t have to find a
cure for the world’s economy. Just be joyful in your
new pared down expectation of life and spread the
cheer. Then your friends and neighbors spread it and
they spread it as well to other cities and countries
and to outer space where the aliens can become nicer
as well. At least they won’t invade us and steal our
chickens.
5.
It works to cure the
ills that are plaguing us.
And those ills are not all
economical. Buy less; need less material things.
Want more things that count – like love, respect,
hope, caring, trust, culture and giving. You can
help so many charities with your time and devotion.
You can visit the sick or call your old friends and
family. Now you actually may have the time. Look up
in the sky – it may be Superman or a greater power.
You have that greater power within you.