Yesterday we headed out to visit one of Rachel’s friend’s who had just come home from surgery on her arm. We stopped at Sonic (Rachel’s favorite) to pick up ice cream for the patient.  While we waited I checked my email and found a theater class assignment for Rachel. She was to listen to the lyrics and words from “Happiness” from “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.” Just so happens she was in that show in the spring. The assignment is to then answer the following questions:

• What makes you happy?
• Why is happiness important in life?

While we waited on the goods, I decided to reflect a little with Rachel. It’s good to prep her for assignments. I didn’t tell her why. I just simply said, “What makes you happy, Rachel.” “Spending time with my friends makes me happy.” What else?  “My family and performing on stage stage,” she added. Before I could push more she excitedly exclaimed, “Smiling. Smiling makes me happy!”  I asked why and she responded, “Because when I smile it makes other people happy.”  True.

Then I said, “Why is happiness important in life?”  She responded that she needed to think on that. Then she said, “Jesus wants us to be happy so everyone should be happy.” As if that’s not enough I said, “Why does Jesus want us to be happy?” Rachel said, “Mommy, it’s like ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” and she began to sing “happiness is singing together….” with a bright smile on her face.  I said, “You are a smart girl Rachel because your this is for your theater class.  You are supposed to listen to that and then answer these questions.”

Her smile did make me happy and it made her friend we visited happy, too.