make your own sunshine

Walking across the WINCO parking lot yesterday afternoon, I felt warm sunshine on my back. Several positive things had taken place in the last couple of hours and an overall feeling of peace and happiness was upon me as I entered the store. Thirty minutes later as I passed through the first set of automatic exit doors, a heaviness set upon my heart. The blacktop was wet. The sky was black. Rain was pouring down. I couldn’t help but stop and evaluate the drastic change in my mindset.  

Considering the fact that the forecast on my phone’s weather app shows cute, puffy little clouds with blue streaks of rain coming down for the next seven days, I’d say it’s time to make my own sunshine.

Gratitude.

Beginning with an easy one I said, I’m grateful that I just picked up my car from the shop and they FIXED the problem that caused the floor of my car to get sopping wet in rainstorms. 

Just that one thought, as I stood watching the rain from the exit doors of the grocery store, changed my heart from dread to delight. 

Make your own sunshine, my friends! Plant mental flowers and trees then watch them grow, becoming more and more colorful and beautiful as you get better and better at the art of gratitude! 

How will you begin? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below.