Usable Insight – What made you smile today?
-Harry Glazer
One of my close friends, attorney Harry Glazer was telling me recently how when his kids are happy he’s happy and when they’re not, he’s not. My wife’s version of this is: “You’re only as happy as your most unhappy child.” I agree with both of them.
Harry told me that he knows that there is at least one thing that makes his kids smile each day, but he often doesn’t hear about that because they mainly call him or text him about a problem or to ask for something.
He thought about this and responded to this situation by each day sending out a text to each of his young adult children, age 19 and 22, asking them: “What made you smile today?” And he meant anything such as seeing their refrigerator had their favorite food, getting a great parking with money in the meter, noticing one of the many inane things that show up on their facebook page, a hot shower after being out in the cold.
At first his children thought he was just being a nerd or goofy, but he persisted. He has also taken to sending them a quote for the day to think about that might relate to something they are going through. Over time this has made a difference in his relationships with them. He thinks that exchange helps put an additional smile on their faces as well as his own because a) it forces them to pause and remember something happy each day; b) by sending their answer to their dad, they know they are making him happy which underneath all their daily problems, they enjoy doing.
Another friend of mine, Marshall Bitkower, a Los Angeles based attorney, has started a blog entitled, MYBLOGMITZVAH, where he invites people to share not what made them smile, but what they did to put a smile on someone else’s face.
I hope you’ll visit his page and share what you did today to make someone else smile. The world could certainly use it.
I hope this post puts a smile on your face as imagining you reading it has put one on mine.
Tags: bar mitzvah, happiness, happy, mark goulston, smile
January 3rd, 2010 at 1:22 am
What is in this name?
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:41 pm
This was amazing. Thank you for sharing this. It realy touched me. So many huge changes in my life this year. So much loss this December with Ron, Brendan Kutler, even with putting our sweet dig to sleep. I have been thinking so much this year about relationships and how very important they are. This is a great idea. Thank you. It’s so important for all of us to be there for each other. We need to make sure those we care about know we care and are there for them, and this is a great way we can do just that. Thanks Mark. Thanks to your friend as well.
Happy New Year. May your 2010 be filled with joy, peace and many blessings.
Tamara
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