What I want to know is why the general population sneers and scowls at happy people. Is it because they have forgotten how to smile and laugh and sometimes just be silly?
I was walking through the grocery store the other night while talking to Sharon on my cell phone and she was making me laugh so hard that my stomach hurt and I had to clutch the cart to remain standing. I wasn’t being loud. But it was very evident that I was happy and, at the moment, enjoying my life.
I got so many dirty looks! Just because I was smiling! And laughing! Fairly quietly, at that!
It made me sad for people who don’t have friends who can make them laugh until they are breathless. I mourned for whatever it is they have lost that prevents them from giggling over something silly, even if they’ve laughed over it a hundred times already.
And really? If they don’t have friends who can make them laugh, they probably also don’t have friends to call when they are sad or mad or just having a bad day. They don’t have friends who will set aside time out of their busy lives to answer the phone when their name shows up on the caller ID. They probably don’t have friends who graciously invite them into their homes to share in their lives and be part of their family.
It makes me sad for the people who scowled at me at the grocery store.
And it makes me even more thankful for my friends and all the silliness and laughter and love and comfort that is in my life because of them.
I love it that I can make you laugh that hard! That was a great conversation. Those people didn’t know what they were missing!
Comment by sharon — December 9, 2006 @ 1:08 pm |
It probably wasn’t the smiling or laughing…it was the cell phone. You could have been with someone laughing that hard and no one would have blinked. Put a cell phone up to your face, and people start rolling their eyes and heaving these big dramatic sighs. Collectively we’re so tired of other people having these loud, meant-to-be-overheard conversations on their cells in public that we’re having knee jerk reactions to quiet, casual conversation on them. Kinda sad, but it’s fallout from the loud, insensitive jerks who don’t care about the people around them.
Comment by Thumper — December 9, 2006 @ 1:40 pm |
They’re just mad because they don’t have anyone as wonderful in their life to make them laugh like that. Here’s to many more dirty looks because you can laugh.
Comment by Eunice — December 9, 2006 @ 1:43 pm |
Im with thumper it’s due to the minority muppets (appologies to Kermit and Co.) that talk LOUD on their mobile phones about whatever, I mean there was a sketch show featuring a guy walking around with a HUGH Rediculous mobile phone (cell) that rung with the “nokia tune” and he’d bellow into “Hello!” you get the point, I both hate people like that and the “ringtone” to boot. Your lucky to have sharon to call you up and make you laugh…
Comment by Gopher — December 9, 2006 @ 2:04 pm |
I agree, I don’t think it was you being happy but the phone. Most, but not all, people talk into those things so loud it is very hard to hear anything other than their conversation and if you look at them they look back like stop listening to my conversation! Well, kinda hard NOT to hear! Since I have witnessed these disparaging looks from others I tend not to answer my phone in public or try to get to a quiet place to talk. I never ever talk on my phone in a store because too many times I have seen someone jabbering on the phone and totally ignoring the person behind the counter when they are just trying to do their job and move people along so the next person can purchase their stuff.
Keep being happy though, maybe it will rub off on the sourpusses.
Comment by Amanda — December 9, 2006 @ 9:14 pm |
There was probably a big sign that said ‘No Laughing In The Grocery Store.’
Comment by Jean-Luc Picard — December 10, 2006 @ 11:11 am |
I don’t smile in the grocery store – probably because I hate to grocery shop but I do talk on my cell phone and if I get into a goofy conversation (usually with my husband), I park my cart off to the side out of the way of other shoppers and continue my conversation (respectfully quiet).
Honestly, you need those moments — especially while grocery shopping!
Comment by Sweetie — December 10, 2006 @ 1:44 pm |
Eh, screw those people.
Or not. You know what I mean.
If I didn’t have friends that made me belly laugh, I wouldn’t be able to survive.
Comment by aka_monty — December 10, 2006 @ 8:48 pm |