I like to see people happy.
I get choked up when little kids run into the arms of returning parents. I get teary-eyed when I get to see people
experience unrestrained joy. I can think
of a number of times that has happened, many of them sports related because I
am tuned into that, but I can recall others as well. Have you ever seen that look on the face of
the groom when he catches that first look of his bride-to-be at the end of the
aisle? Yeah, I watch the groom while
most are watching the bride! Heck, she
takes a long walk and you can see her for a while. Take that moment to watch the groom and you
will see what I mean! I’ve had
opportunity to be there when a student gets word that he has been awarded a
major scholarship. That smile is
priceless. Back to the romantic, how
about when that courageous guy pops the question in front of thousands of his
“best friends” and on the Jumbotron? Or
when that accountant finds out that she passed the state boards?
A while back I watched the video of Norfolk State students
in their student center watching the final few seconds of their basketball
teams monumental upset of Missouri (I can’t believe I would pick a team that I
loathe as much as Mizzou to win it all on my bracket!) in the NCAA tournament
and explode into a crazy sea of wild celebration. I don’t know anyone at Norfolk State, let
alone in the video, and I could not help but beam at the chance they had to be
so happy. Those kinds of moments need to
be shared, and more important, in all of our lives we should be so lucky to get
to experience the amazing adrenaline that flows through our body at that
moment. I’ve gotten to do that a couple
of times at some sports events when the “amazing” happens. I remember standing on the sideline as the
seconds ticked off under the lights at one of the first night games Nebraska
played when Tom Osborne had a team that finally defeated Barry Switzer and
OU. My split loyalties between my two
college alma maters came into play as Iowa State fans went absolutely delirious
with joy in 1992 following quarterback Marv Seiler’s amazing run that lead to
the defeat of Top-5 ranked Nebraska.
Iowa State fans were crying with joy, and my new wife was jumping up and
down so wildly that I thought for sure she was going to fall over the rail of
the second deck! I remember Chay Wood, a
young man I coached a few years back, rise up after pinning his opponent in the
state finals and look to his mom in the crowd with his wry smile. I know what I was feeling standing in his
corner, but I cannot fathom the joy he was experiencing at that moment.
Pure, unadulterated joy!
It is such an incredible feeling that it makes me wonder why we would
want to make anyone feel anything else.
The cool thing is that when you witness it, you can’t help but feel some
of it too! Watching those kids go crazy
when their team wins gives me a smile and a warm feeling. So why don’t we seek ways to make people feel
happy? It feels good to see that smile;
that sparkle when their eyes light up.
Is it that difficult to find nice things to do, or kind things to
say? I confess that often when I am out
and about I am “on a mission” and am oblivious to those I meet. It isn’t that tough when I slow down, make
eye contact, and say something nice. It
doesn’t always have to be much. Sometimes less is more. But I think we live in a world of cynicism
and many of us for whatever reason indict those who are really happy. Is it because we are jealous or envious? Are we so competitive that it always comes
down to winners and losers? In a warped
way, are some of us happy being miserable?
I suppose it could be a number of things. Regardless, look for those opportunities to
smile and laugh, and more important, take a pause the next time you see someone
that is really, really happy . . . and try to absorb some of it. I guarantee you will be happy too!
