Just Be Glad, Part 3
by Christian D. Larson
«— Part One || «— Part Two || Part Three
Whether we believe that life was made for happiness or that happiness was made for life, matters not. The fact remains that he alone can live the most and enjoy the best who takes for his motto—just be glad. Whatever comes, or whatever may fail to come, this one thing he will always remember — just be glad. Though every mind in the world may give darkness, his will continue to give light; and though all may be lost, so there seems nothing more to give, he will not forget to give happiness.
The one great thing to do under every circumstance and in the midst of every event is this—just be glad. Wherever you may be, add sunshine. Whatever your position may be, be also a human sunbeam. What a difference when the sunbeam comes in; then why should the sunbeam remain without?
There is a sunbeam in every heart. Why hide it at any time? Does not the world need your smiles? Is not everybody made happier and better when in the presence of a radiant countenance? Do we ever forget the face that shines as the sun? And does not such a memory continue to give us strength and inspiration all through the turnings and complexities of life? We are not here to give sadness, but joy. We were not made to hide our souls in a dark thunder cloud, but to let the spirit shine in all its splendor and beauty. We are made to make life an endless song, and the sweet refrain of that beautiful song is—just be glad.
When things go wrong, just be glad. It is sunshine that brings forth the flowers from the cold and soggy earth. It is light-heartedness that puts to flight the burdens of life. It is the smile of human sweetness that dispels the chilly night of isolation and brings friendship and love to the bosom of the yearning soul. Then why be sad when gladness can do so much? Why be sad for a single moment when the smile of a single moment has the power even to change the course of human destiny. We all remember how soon a smile of God can change the world. Why not always live in that magical smile and just be glad? Then we should remember that all things respond to the song of rejoicing; all things gather where life is a song.
Do you think that life is too difficult for smiles, and that you have too much to pass through to ever have happiness? Then remember that the glad heart knows no difficulty. The sunbeam even smiles at darkness, and converts the blackness of the storm into a brilliant rainbow. Just be glad, and your tears shall also become a bow of promise ; yes, and more, for in that promise you shall discern the unmistakable signs of a brighter day upon the coming morn.
Do not think that happiness must keep its distance so long as you have so much to pass through. The more you have to pass through, the more you need happiness. It is the shining countenance that never turns back; it is the glad heart that finds strength to go on; it is the mind with the most sunshine that can see the most clearly where to go and how to act that the goal in view may be gained.
Just be glad, and half the burden is gone. Just be glad, and your work becomes mostly pleasure. Just be glad,and you take the keenest delight in meeting even the greatest of obstacles and the most difficult of problems.
When you meet reverses, just be glad; for do we not again remember how soon a smile of God can change the world? It is not gloom that dispels darkness; it is not disconsolance that makes the mind brilliant and the soul strong. But if we would turn the tide of ill fortune we need all our brilliancy and all our strength. To master fate, to conquer destiny, to make life our own, we must be all there is in us to be. Then we must remember that it is sunshine that makes the flowers grow, and that transforms the acorn into a great and massive oak. Everything in nature, and in man, the crowning glory of nature, responds with pleasure to the magic touch of the smiling sunbeam. For again we must remember that all things respond tothe call of rejoicing; all things gather where life is a song.
Promise yourself that whatever may come you will always remember—just be glad. When good things come into life, gladness will make them better. When things come that should not have come, gladness will so brighten your mind that you can see clearly how to turn everything to good account. Whatever happens or not, just be glad, and it will be much better than it possibly could have been otherwise. Therefore, gladness is not a mere sentiment. It pays. It is not a luxury for the favored few alone. It is a necessity that all should secure in abundance.
If it is your belief that there is nothing in your life for which you can justly be glad, stop and count your blessings. You will surprise yourself; and you will then and there resolve never to depreciate yourself again. Henceforth, you will find it easier to be glad; and you will also find that the more things you are glad for, the more things you will have to be glad for. Gladness is a magnet and it draws more and more of everything that can increase gladness. Just be glad—always and under every circumstance, and nothing shall be withheld from you that can add to your welfare and happiness.
Should you find it easy to be glad when things go right, and difficult to be glad when things go wrong, you are not creating your own sunshine and it is only the sunshine that we create ourselves, in our own world, that makes things grow in our own world. Be glad because you want to be glad, regardless of events, and you will have found that fountain of joy within that is ever ready to overflow. Be glad at all times because it is best to be glad at all times; and be glad in the presence of everything because gladness makes it better for everything.
Just be glad, and the world will be kind to you. The sunbeam has no occasion for regrets. It is always welcome; it is always loved. Just be glad, and you will have friends without number; and it is he who has many friends—friends that are good and true, who finds everything that is rich and beautiful in human existence. Just be glad, and you will be sought for, far and wide. The world is not looking for gloom and depression; it is looking for sunshine and joy.
Just be glad, even though the whole world be against you, and all the elements of nature be in a conspiracy to place you in the hands of destruction. Even at such a time, just be glad. Thus you prove your strength. And he who can prove that he is stronger than any adversary, will win the respect — yes, and the friendship, of every adversary. What was against you will be for you. And this was your secret—you refused to be downcast, you refused to weaken, you refused to be less than your greatest self—even when everything seemed lost, you were strong enough to be true to all that you knew to be true, and you tuned your life to the music of that sweetest of all refrains—just be glad. Because you were glad, even when there was nothing to make you glad, you proved that you deserved everything that has the power to make you glad. And that which we trulydeserve must come to remain as our own.
Just be glad. Whether there is anything to be glad for or not, just be glad. It is the royal path to happiness.
It is the royal path to all that is worthy and beautiful in life. Above all things, possess gladness, and you will soon possess those things that produce gladness. Be your own sunbeam, and you will attract a million sunbeams. Be your own source of your own joy, and you will attract everything and everybody that can add to your joy. To him that hath shall be given. And he already hath who has found the riches of his own nature. To find those riches is the first step. All else must follow. All other things will be added. And to find those riches, use well every talent you possess. Then whatever comes, just be glad. For all things respond to the call of rejoicing; all things gather where life is a song.