The Little Girl and Her Dog

The other day I saw a little girl, about 4 years old, walking her dog. The dog was about 4 times as big as her, so the dog was really walking her. Anyways, she was totally elated. For no apparent reason. She was genuinely happy. Her dog was happy. They didn’t have a care in the world other than enjoying each other’s company. She ran down the sidewalk and looked up at me and gave me, a complete and total stranger, the biggest smile I have ever seen. I could not help but smile back. It made me very genuinely happy. Her happiness was infectious. It was probably one of the most adorable things I have ever seen.

That little girl made me think. We have all been carefree and happy like that before. I remember being a kid and all I cared about was playing outside. It didn’t matter if it was football, basketball, street baseball or creating chalk masterpieces on the driveway with my little sister. It was true happiness. How often do we adults just smile at each other for no reason? I catch myself paying no attention to people I pass on the streets. Occasionally, I’ll even shoot a disingenuous half-smile, but nothing like the smile that little girl gave me. As adults we are consumed with other things. We are stressed out. We are worried if we say “hello” and smile at a stranger, we might not get a response. That little girl couldn’t have cared less if I smiled back or not. Her happiness did not come from my response. Her happiness was internal. Her happiness was more powerful than anything I have ever seen before.

It still blows my mind how much power a little girl could possess. This little girl possesses the secret to riches and a lifetime of happiness. I hope she never loses that infectious enthusiasm. That enthusiasm will carry her to great heights. It will inspire others to be happier and more loving and caring. She can do amazing things by just holding onto her true-self. By not allowing others to convince her to be something other than herself. To follow her heart in all that she does. To maintain her authenticity at all cost. That’s what’s funny about the world and the law of attraction. We all want to be like people who are genuinely themselves – people who are authentic. You don’t need a reason to be happy. You don’t have to justify it. It doesn’t have to be difficult; it’s just a choice we all make every morning when we wake up. Wake up every day like the little kid inside of you wants you to. Be happy for no apparent reason. They always say, “When you smile at the world, the world smiles back at you.” Give the world your biggest and brightest smile – just like that little girl, and see who smiles back at you. J