From the Editor
I love surprise gifts! That’s what I received a few years ago while on the beach in Ocean City. I was directing our surf program for children with special needs. At the end of a hot and exhausting day, a parent handed me a gift. It was a t-shirt that said “I’ve got sunshine in my soul.”
I lit up like a Christmas tree, not only because I love surprises, but because those words, on that shirt, really spoke to me! In the years prior, I had been determined to intentionally choose joy in my life every single day, no matter what. (Believe me, those last three words, “no matter what,” are the tricky part!) Wearing that shirt made me feel like maybe, just maybe, it was showing. And if nothing else, it was a great reminder for myself to choose joy.
Does that mean everything was going great for me in those years? Not at all! I had three teenagers under one roof, one of which had autism and some serious behavioral challenges. It was not my circumstances that mattered though. Being happy, I had finally realized, was an inside job, a choice.
It took discipline (and a lot of yoga, deep breathing and occasional wine) to stop reacting to the hurricane that seemed to always be swirling around me. At first it was a minute to minute challenge, then day to day. Once I hit 30 days, it was my habit. And at 90 days, it became my lifestyle.
Then the coolest thing happened. My smile seemed to become contagious, similar to what Nancy Adler wrote about last week in her article in Shore Local. My family and the people around me seemed happier.
Choosing joy does not in any way mean you have less problems than the next person. It simply means that regardless of all those problems, you choose to focus on the good. And if you look hard enough there is always something to be grateful for.
2020 has been an epic nightmare for nearly all of us. Now, less than two weeks before school is set to start, many parents just found out there will be no physical school. Their districts are remaining virtual. I can’t even fathom the stress of balancing children in multiple grade levels, while working from home. Not to mention if those families also have children with special needs, financial stress, health issues or are single parent families. Now in the sixth month of the pandemic, people are still required to have their businesses shut down or if they are lucky, only partially open. Times are beyond tough! Personally, Bob and I are facing the greatest loss of our lives with the sudden passing of our son in March. There is much to be unhappy about!
Still, I challenge you to find the good. Cling to it and choose joy for yourself and for your family. For me, I find it in the little things that August offers like sunflowers, the sound of crickets at night, my toes in the ocean or a good book. Put some “sunshine in your soul,” radiate positive energy like the rays of the sun and light up those who surround you. Don’t let any circumstance have the power to take away your sunshine.
Peace & Love,
Cindy
