By Cheryl Mattox Berry
Rarely do I spend time with women who are as jubilant as Pharrell describes in his Happy song, but I did this weekend. And you know what? It was infectious. Let me tell you about them:
One of the women is my sorority sister who is a few weeks away from giving birth to her second child after suffering a miscarriage and enduring a bit of a wait for this baby. She has maintained that beautiful smile she’s known for throughout her high-risk pregnancy, discomfort and all. She was radiant at her baby shower. You couldn’t help but get sucked into her euphoria.
I met the second woman at a fundraiser my husband dragged me to hours after the baby shower. She shared with me how blessed she felt to be working for a children’s charity that shows kids who are interested in sports what other career possibilities are out there. She believes it was divine intervention that brought her to this charity.
She lost her job shortly after she had her second child and was depressed about being out of work. Her dad urged her to tell friends she was looking for a job, and sure enough, a girlfriend told the charity that she was the perfect person for the job.
The third woman is a longtime girlfriend who relocated to Chicago after a nasty divorce and came back to South Florida more than a year ago. She moved here on faith – without a job, dwindling funds and two old cats. She found work at a women’s center until its money ran out. Then, she worked as a substitute elementary school teacher.
Today, she starts a full-time job with benefits. Administrators at the women’s center thought so highly of her that they called her back when they received additional funding.
She is ecstatic to be financially secure and back in the Sunshine State, where she said she was meant to be. The blue skies, turquoise waters and warm weather nourish her soul. She was downright giddy when she talked about her future plans. When we parted, I told her to give me some of that happiness so that I could bottle it and inhale it on a hormonal day.
No doubt I was meant to be in the presence of all three of these women at a time when I’m anxious about the fate of my biggest project to date. Share your comeback story with someone. It could be what they need to hear at that moment in time. And remember to pray.
Yes, happiness can be spread like a good virus. Sometimes we have to work a bit harder to find our happy place but knowing that it is there always helps. Being in the company of positive people is important for our emotional wellness.