Find Happiness By Giving It Away

Last week I stopped at a rest area while driving from Charlotte to Raleigh. The men’s section was exceptionally clean compared to most interstate rest stops. I saw one of the attendants pushing a mop bucket. I went to him and thanked him for providing such a clean rest area and how much I appreciate his work.

His smile radiated from every part of him. He stood taller, his eyes brighter. He thanked me as though it were the first compliment he’d had on his job.

That one-minute exchange with a stranger helped two people that day: the rest area attendant, and me. A moment of happiness shared with a stranger made me happier the entire day.

Ironic, isn’t it that we look everywhere for our own happiness when all we have to do is give it to someone else.