Life is about smiling

Meaningless. Mundane. Boring. Harsh. Ordinary. These are just a few unsavoury words that can sometimes describe life.

“Find meaning in life, so as to live a fulfilling life,” thousands of counselors, church ministers and life coaches have preached.

Finding meaning in life is what most of us are doing and have been keeping at. Sometimes, we are successful, if only for a few moments, and often the pursuit never ends.

There never really was a living manual — one that we could refer to ever so often when we feel so lost and dejected by life — like all of us will do at some point in life. There never really was a definition about life’s meaning.

Pray, tell, what is life about? Why do we have to live anyway? Like someone who wanted to die said, why don’t I just sleep and never wake up?

The world today faces many problems, including global warming, pollution, corruption, violence etc. But the worst problem must be that associated with hopelessness.

That bleakness that famous American actor, Robin Williams must have felt before he decided he needed to commit suicide last year.

That desperation that will make that teenager take a cocktail of pills and kiss the world goodbye. That desolation that the pastor will experience before they conclude that life holds no meaning for them.

With many in society going through despairing moments due to the challenges of modern-day living, it is about time we made sense about living.

You will be pleasantly surprised that there is so much to enjoy without breaking the bank. My almost seven-year old son reminded me so last Sunday as we were dressing up for church.

He piped, “Mum I want you to wear this dress because I want people to see that my mum is smart.” When I did, he said in glee: “Now, that is my smart mum.”

He went on to say that “life is about being smart and being funny and smiling,” in that order.

By now, I was truly taken aback (how does he know these things?) and I quickly asked him to bring pen and paper so he could write down all he was gushing about. Here is more of what he had to say:

Life is about stories. Life is about laughing. Life is about talking. Life is about love. Life is about dancing. Life is about being good. Life is about singing. Life is about spending time with friends.

The child-like scrawl across the paper did not dilute the strong message the little man that loves toys and popcorn offered.

I am still digesting the short poem (left) he took two minutes to write; as simple and innocent as it was, it holds a lot of meaning for me. I am sure it will do the same for many.

But truth be said, isn’t life about dancing and singing and smiling and talking and loving and spending time with friends?