My mother-in-law, Emily, loved to talk about her own deceased mother-in-law, Sonia, who she claimed taught her many valuable and practical lessons in life. One such lesson that she recounted was about a conversation she once had with Sonia. Emily said that one day when she came home from work feeling extremely tired, she sat in the sofa for a few minutes doing nothing. Sonia, who was moving about constantly like a busy bee, looked at Emily disapprovingly and said, “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Just resting,” Emily responded.
“Resting?” she said, shaking her head critically. “Don’t you know that the more you move the healthier you get?’
“Really?” Emily asked.
“Yes, really.” She answered. “Even if you have nothing to do, you should get up. Grab the broom and keep dropping it on the floor and pick it up.”
“I get it,” Emily said, ”It is the same as working out.”
“Yes, indeed!” Sonia uttered smiling, as her eyes shone like two bright projectors.
I must admit that I, too, learned something from my own mother-in-law, Emily.
Once, as we were conversing about good attitude and happiness in life, she told me, “You can teach yourself to be happy.”
I asked, “How? Please teach me.”
She answered, “Simple. I will give you one example. All through my life, even during hardship, I have laughed artificially so much, that laughter has become a reality and a permanent habit.”
“I get it!” I said. “We should never fret.”