Despite Worry, Be Happy!

For some reason, I've been singing Bobby McFerrin's fun little a capella song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy!" You know how a random song can just get stuck in your head?

I sat with it for a while, reflecting on why that song had visited me. I haven't been feeling particularly worried or unhappy. Afterall, it's Mardi Gras Season 💜💚💛

So I asked the Lord how I might use the message this week. I thought of the people who had filled their homes with Christmas cheer, but now sit alone in a house that feels so empty. All the beautiful decorations are boxed, sealed, and tucked away in a dark closet. They didn't replace them with shiny purple, green, and gold Mardi Gras decorations. That is sad. I thought of my friends who are continuing harsh cancer treatments, and those sitting with the weight of a new diagnosis. That is worrisome.

Then the Church tells us we are now in Ordinary Time. Ugh, right? When we hear "ordinary," we think boring, uninteresting, anything but special. Then, in one short month, we enter the Season of Lent, and we revelers have to box up our fun Mardi Gras decor and sit in our ordinary space.

How long, O Lord, until we have exciting, interesting, special time again?

How can we be happy amid all this ordinariness? How can we not sit and worry about all the troubling things in the world? We know that we can't just erase or eliminate worry -- especially in this tumultuous time in our history when our safe spaces have been threatened, and our store of trusted sources has lessened.

All of this thinking led me to adopt a new version of Bobby's song:

Despite Worry, Be Happy!

This is our key to finding joy in the Ordinary Time. We look out into the world and wonder why human decency and kindness haven't improved alongside the great advancements in technology.

We don't like all of the violence and deception that keeps getting closer and closer to home. We want the world to change. But really, what can ordinary people like you and me do?

We can keep living and rejoicing. We can be decent and kind, loving and honest. Isn't that why Jesus was born into our world? During this Ordinary Time, we are meant to live out the discoveries, teachings, and pivotal high points in our Faith. This is the time when we apply the teachings of Advent: the rebirth of Christ in our hearts, the rediscovery of God’s extraordinary power and presence, and we align our ordinary lives with the life of Christ.

That is still the Good News! We need to rejoice! God is still the Victor! He is still with us!

Despite all that causes us worry, we are called to be happy! Happy because the Blessed Virgin Mary said Yes to God's plan of Salvation for us and gave birth to our Savior, the Prince of Peace! Happy because the Holy Spirit, our all-powerful guide and intercessor, is present in our world! Happy because we have a Merciful, Forgiving God the Father who loves every human being and wants all people to be with Him for eternity! If we all carry that happiness into our ordinary daily experiences, we listen and speak and see and act very differently. And we unknowingly and naturally influence others around us.

Peace isn't just the absence of violence; peace requires love.

Happiness isn't the absence of difficulties; happiness exists despite the struggle.

Worry anticipates potential problems; trust overpowers worry.

Despite Worry, Be Happy!

What does that look like, you ask? There are many ways, but I'll share one great example: Be with people who make you laugh!

This past weekend, I took a day trip with one of my dearest friends, and we met up with my three sisters. All of those girls always make me laugh!!! It was a simple, yet truly wonderful day!

We met for a casual, unhurried lunch on the big porch of a favorite Louisiana restaurant.

The Little Big Cup

Then we spent the next few hours perusing a couple of local vintage shops. We filled our bellies with seafood and king cake, and found a few treasures. But our time together was so much more than that. We shared memories, we told stories, we met interesting people, and we saw some interesting things. We stopped to sing and dance when one of our Daddy's favorite songs came on, and the shop owner turned up the volume so that everyone around us could join the fun! And we laughed…a lot!

The formula is really quite easy to follow: Be around people who cause you to smile and laugh, and make other people smile and laugh when they are with you.

Yawns and frowns are contagious, but so are smiles and giggles. We need more smiles and giggles in our world. It doesn't mean we ignore the serious stuff. It doesn't mean we stop striving to right the wrongs around us. We absolutely must continue to bring peace, wholeness, kindness, and goodness to others wherever we go.

Give lots of thought and prayer to how you can make this world better. Follow another simple formula: Read God's Word daily. Ask the Lord to ping a word or phrase for your focus. Reflect on how that message affects your life. Act on the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And….

DESPITE WORRY, BE HAPPY! It's a really good place to start, don't you agree?