I didn’t see Valerie when I walked in and found a stall on the back side of the restroom but I heard her energetically welcoming women into the place that she keeps clean.  I’m sure she startles many of them, including me, because we are not accustomed to people being so happy when they work and then sharing their happiness without reservation or discrimination with others.  But Valerie does just that.

“Might as well be happy,” I heard her tell someone. “I come to work to have fun; otherwise I might as well stay home.”

 “No one can take your happiness, you give it away,” Valerie shared along with a litany of  other reasons to be happy. 

When she wasn’t talking or greeting new visitors to her restroom, Valerie was singing the chorus of the popular song “You are my Sunshine”  

“You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You’ll never know dear
How much I love you
Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

I was washing my hands when Valerie rounded the corner and saw me. She smiled and said “Welcome to Valerie’s restroom.” I smiled back. We exchanged a few pleasantries before she moved on and started singing again. I was left with a fresh feeling of well-being and an early morning dose of happiness as I left the restroom.

What a different world we would have if each of us chose to spread happiness as we went about our work, especially that work that involves interacting with the public. A little contagious happiness may be just what someone needs to shift the downward trajectory of their day.

(P.S. While doing a Google search, I came across  blogs and two You Tube videos about Valerie from other travelers who encountered her also in the  Charlotte airport and found excellent customer service and a smile.)

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I attended the affair with my business partner and friend, Sherry, whom I am visiting in Philly. We had spent part of the day working, so it was good to be in the company of women laughing and engaging in meaningful conversation. I even got hugs from former colleagues I had not seen in years, except on Facebook.

My breakout group consisted of about 17 professional African American women ranging in ages from  the 20s to 70s. And even the young among us already had come to realize that family, significant others, friends, work or money do not make us or keep us happy in the long run. Each of us is responsible for our own happiness.

Several in the room seemed to understand, as I do, that happiness is an inside job. It is a state of mind, some acknowledged. And faith plays a key role in sustaining our happiness, others around the room agreed.

One young woman talked about how she has found freedom and contentment in coming home after work  and reading her Bible. She is pursuing her goal of starting a public relations and marketing firm. Her faith, the seeds of which were planted by her parents, encourages and sustains her.

“We all have a different starting point for happiness. It’s not the same for everyone,” said another young woman, Sirena C. Moore, who lit up the room as she talked about what God has done in her life. Moore, a teenage mother of twins turned entrepreneur, received the 2010 Small Business Person of the Year award from the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and was featured  on the cover of Black Enterprise Magazine in January.

The 28-year-old  owner of Elohim Cleaning Contractors Inc says she has found her passion and it is speaking and motivating others. Her website tells about her many accomplishments over the last 10 years. “God has given me such an awesome testimony,” Moore enthused.

Women talked about “the juggle” –careers, spouses, children, helping others – that often leaves them little time for themselves. “We give so much to so many people,” said a 50-something health care lobbyist. “I learned this in church… you have to fill your cup to help others.”       

Happiness and faith is a topic that resonates with me. Just last week, I spent what amounts to two days learning about releasing family blessings through emotional healing at a College of Prayer module in the D.C. area. Our presenter, Mike Plunket, is a pastor and college professor from New York who describes himself as a Christian hedonist. “I live for the pleasure of God,” he declared.

“True happiness is doing what you were made for, doing what you are wired for,” Plunket said. “To get there you have to own your own emotions. We tend to give our emotions away to someone else.”

Years ago, I made a choice, and I am still working toward this goal, to not allow others to determine my level of happiness. I chose to be happy and I am allowing myself time with God to ensure that my contentment is rooted in something that doesn’t change at someone else’s whim or some condition out of my control.

Webster’s dictionary defines happiness as a state of well-being and contentment. Nothing compares to the happiness I have found in my walk with Christ. I am grateful for the reminders I have received over the last week.

Let’s continue the conversation. What makes you happy?

Related posts:

1. One woman’s happiness causes others to smile
2. Linking happiness and religion through science
3. First woman pastor makes history joyous