The happiest moments in our life deserve more than a cursory nod once a year. I suggest that pausing for just a moment, every day, to remember the joy associated with these events is a way to have a happier life.
To that end, my cell phone send me a little musical message four times a day (a.k.a. an alarm goes off).
Each morning at 10:28 I am reminded that this was the moment that my wonderful little boy Lyle was born. To be clear, my phone chimes at 10:28 everyday, not just on the day of his birth. Everyday my heart takes a moment to swell with the love I have for this now all grown up little guy.
In the middle of each afternoon, I am reminded of the moment of our wedding. I hear the chiming and take just a moment to mentally step away from my busy day to visualize something from the wedding and to remember how joyful I felt.
Every day as the afternoon draws to an end, at 4:48, my phones lets me know it is time to remember the birth of my sweet daughter Hillary. I decide, the moment I hear the music, to consciously stop and think of that happy event when I first became a mommy and how much joy she has brought to my life.
The final reminder comes as I settle in each evening for a cozy night. At 7:45 my phone reminds me of the birth of my last child. I pause to think of the happiness Darren brings me today and of the wonder and awe I felt when he arrived.
I hope this inspires you to take out your cell phone and program in some alarms to mark the Smiley-est moments of your life. It is a simple joy. Joy usually is.
Smile. Be Happy.
Ruth
Cell Phone Smiley