Monthly Archives: October 2013

Look for the Good…

This past Friday I headed into work via the New York subway. There wasn’t anything different about this particular morning.  The same usual crowds were hustling and bustling to reach their destination on time. As I stood waiting LOOK FOR THE GOODfor my train to arrive, I noticed a young man standing on an adjacent platform across from me.  He was adjusting the height of a standing microphone. Though he was getting ready to strum a sharp-looking guitar, he drew absolutely no attention.  He blended in along with the rest of us.  After all, New York is a melting pot of people. I felt as if I was the only one who noticed he was even there.  After making a few adjustments to his guitar strap, the man started to sing.  And sing he did.  His voice replaced every sound in the station with an incredible rendition of the Drifters classic “This Magic Moment.” I couldn’t believe how utterly amazing he sang.  His voice was incredible and hit the highest notes with ease. In a split second…every eye …all the attention…every look was on him…intently listening to his beautiful voice sing…

“This magic moment…So different and so new ..was like any other until I kissed you …And then it happened… It took me by surprise… I knew that you felt it too…By the look in your eyes..This Magic Moment…watch it here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul041CSNJto

After listening to the man sing for just a few seconds, I couldn’t help but start to smile.  I started to sway a little bit in rhythm with the uplifting beat of the song.  And you know what? Lots of other people were smiling too.  In a breath, this man took the cold feeling out of the air and filled it with a beautiful melody that changed what we were all were thinking about.  People were no longer peering impatiently into the tunnel to see if the train was arriving.  The atmosphere felt happier.  The platform didn’t feel quite as “tight” as before.

My train arrived and I hopped. My morning was changed.  I felt less hurried and hummed the song words all the way to work. “This Magic Moment…da ya da da da…I can’t say for sure if the reason why my day turned out so happy was due to the cheery way it started.  Maybe the appearance of the young singer in my morning had nothing to do with my happy disposition. I like to think it did.  I believe that it had a whole lot of positive influence on how I went about doing everything on my to-do list. How I greeted every person and how I felt when I got home.  A happy memory…a magical moment memory… had been planted in the start of my day and I held on to it.  I chose to keep that magic moment feeling.

And what is the inspirational truth I would like share with you?  That there is a whole of GOOD out there waiting to be noticed.  Happy sounds to listen to…smiles we can find or share ourselves.  Friends, choose to look for the good…for those things in your day that bring a smile or a happy thought. There is so much Good that cuts across every one of our days.  Look for them in your day and when you find a few …when you notice one special thing..that person helping the mom to carry the carriage up the steps..or the person who scoots over to make space for you to sit down…or any other good…hold onto it for a bit. It’ll change the lens through which you see things.  You’ll feel happier.  And you’ll want to do some good yourself.

Look for the Good friends.  Keep Looking for the Good.

Best

The Penny…

If you have ever walked through New York’s Penn Station during rush hour, youpenny would know to walk fast and watch where you are going.  Every day an estimated 500,000 people travel under its roof to reach their destination.  I have been traveling through Penn for over twenty years.  This particular day was no different from any other.  I headed home from work determined as I always am to catch my train.  As I slid my metro card and pushed through the turnstile, I couldn’t help but notice a penny shining brightly on the floor.  It just stood out against the dark ground.  As countless people continued to step past it, one hand was carefully reaching down to pick it up trying not get stepped on by all the running feet.  It was the hand of an old man carrying what looked like everything he owned in one bag.  This whole scene was happening quickly.  People rushing.  The old man trying to bend low enough to reach the penny. My heart broke.  I knew I had a few dollars in my bag and I thought to give them to him.  But in the instant I turned away, he was gone.  And so was the penny.  I looked right and left but didn’t see him.  He left an imprint on my mind. The picture of an old man – poor – struggling to reach down far enough to pick up a penny.  The same one hundreds probably did not notice was there.

Friends,  I thought about how the small things in life often don’t seem important enough to win our attention to notice them.  Be it a shiny penny or the wind gently blowing the leaves on the trees.  Lets take the time to notice and appreciate these things-when we do – they reward us with much happiness. In return, they give us a sense of appreciation for all that we have.  It is usually the small things, the simple things that make us the happiest.

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