Let the Sunshine In

THERE are people in this world who shun brightness in their lives. Everywhere, they go, they prefer the surroundings to be dark, gloomy and in the shade. Often, this reflects their perspective on life.
For these people, it is a path of loneliness, prolonged solitude and utter desolation at times. Do we need to feel sorry for them? No, not really. It is a personal choice on their part.
For the rest of us, we all need the sunshine in our lives, preferably for as long as possible, and as bright as ever. Letting the sunlight in means bringing cheer, joy, laughter and mirth in the lonely, pessimistic, and forlorn corners of your life.
Have you ever come across individuals who are forever happy and cheerful? I know that it can be frustrating at times to see enthusiasm in the face of your own unhappiness.
However, we need to break the cycle. Life can need up like pedalling on a stationary bicycle. We keep on cycling but we are going nowhere. Life in some measure is like that. Sometimes, you feel as if you are walking on the same spot all the time.
For example, for years, you take the same route to office. You walk along the same corridors leading to your workplace. You tap the sides of the walls along the way. You wave to the same people in the office, day in, day out.
One day while you are walking, doing the same things you do everyday, you suddenly ask yourself, "can life be more exciting?" Yes, it can. But you need to look at things differently from then on. You need to look at the same things with a fresh pair of eyes.
Life is simply this. You look at things differently when you are a toddler. Then you become a teenager. Life looks somehow more challenging when you are in your teens. As you enter adulthood, your experiences with the world of reality begin to affect your perspective on life. Thus, things which you took for granted all your life up till then, now look somewhat different.
As you zip past middle-age, ordinary happenings take on a different hue. With the decades of living under your belt, you begin to develop certain traits. You can become more cynical, sceptical and fatalistic. But somehow you know that's not how it was meant to be but you just can't put your finger on it.
That's the time to let the sunshine in. Time to enter the mansion of life through a different door. Life is meant to be one long happy journey of surprises and pleasant encounters. Sounds like something some a Disney movie,right? Well, yes and no.
Yes, life should be a cruise of delightful abundance. No, you are not designed or born to lead a life of sorrow. Sadness and misery are the luggage you pick up along the way. You really don't need to carry these heavy baggage. It does not bring any benefit to your life. In fact, it makes you tired and gloomy most of the time.
Letting the sunshine in points to a happier alternative. It pushes you in the direction that all of us on earth were meant to take, except a lot of us get distracted along the way.
The key ingredients for such a fantastic formula of successful living is to care for others. To cheer the dreary and the lend a hand to the weary. We must learn to be strong mentally, even if we are born weak physically. Strength is found in all of us but we are taught to believe that we are weak or useless.
Not true. You are stronger than you think, and more powerful than you can ever imagine. Don't belittle yourself. Don't sell yourself short. It is your life. You are ALLOWED to be happy, strong, powerful, kind, gentle, clever and holy. All these are at your disposal.
Why pick the useless, unwanted, miserable and sad items when you can have the alternative?