What makes you happy?

A day when you have a lot on your mind, meetings, deadlines, plans, disappointments, stress and you start complaining about how you end up in such situations to solve problems that are not even yours etc. You know, we all have such days…in fact this is a usual description of a Wednesday for most people, when weekend seams far away and you are already tired. So…on a Wednesday like that (in fact today), 5pm , I was sitiing on my desk, finishing some tasks, wondering how will I, alone, manage to bring the rest of the books from the Dell bookswap from the Dell office to one charity (previously that day large portion of the books was delivered to Vagus thank God they came with a car to collect them...) - when a warm hug surprised me from behind – it was my favorite Dell colleague and a friend Andrea! 😊Seeing me like that, she offered to help and there we are - me with a backpack full of books and Andrea with the big box going towards the nearest tram stop. I immediately felt better, energized and supported, mood improved. At this time trams are full since people are coming back from work but I found a place to sit, perfect! In the meantime I called Centrum rodiny to ask if someone can meet me on “Svantnerova” stop and help me to carry the books, describing myself as a “girl with a red coat” …when my mobile phone died! I was happy I managed to make that last call, hoping for the best. Got off on last stop of tram no.9 to change the tram and I sit down to wait for 5 minutes till tram no.4 arrives. A young women next to me, we both are waiting there, she is smiling to me and immediately we start chatting as if we are best friends. She sees me with a box full of kids books I explain the books are used but I am taking them to charity and before she even say something I asked if she has a child, so she can pick a book and take it. She said she has a 1,5 years old baby and instantaneously I pull out a Disney book (Toy story 2). She was thrilled, thankful with a radiant, huge smile on her face, especially when she saw that on the first page of the book it was written:” To Peter” – what a coincidence she said, my boy’s name is Peter, Peter Nikola! It was such a magical moment 😃 – happy Christmas to Peter I said! She said: "thank you, he is still small, I don’t know what to buy for him…" my answer was – he probably has everything he needs, all he needs is love from you, and I am sure you love him very much! ❤ Then I mentioned that I wish to have a baby but struggling at the moment, she wished me well, with a message that I should only think positive, relax and it will come. She was trying herself for 15 years to conceive before she got her first child, in fact when she finally “gave up”, it happened! She was 40 when she give birth to Peter! With the huge smile on her face she mentioned that she had cancer before, now the cancer is back…but all in a way like it doesn’t matter at all, like “by the way” thing…while her focus remained on the happiness at that moment, thinking how Peter will be happy, how they will play together. After 4 minutes, another guy came, she greets him and the three of us are getting on the tram no 4. The tram was full of working people going home, I was standing with the box in my hands and heavy backpack on my shoulders, hoping not to fall down…but I was happy. In the back I could still hear that woman voice, happily chatting with the man and another women on the tram (she seams to be friend with everybody! 😊) telling them about our meeting that she got the book and learned about Centrum rodiny (the charity organization taking care of families in distress, refugees)… After four stops I get of safely on "Svantnerova", hoping there will be someone to meet me there (as I cannot call them)…and then I see four hands waving to me across the street. Two women approach me with smiles. Yes I am the girl with red coat they were waiting for, they were Ukrainian refugees currently in Slovakia (supported by the Familly center). And again, smiles, hugs and short get-to-know chat, where do I come from, on which language are the books etc. I give them the books, wish them well and happy holidays and leave the place with gratitude. Yes, I felt thankful to be able to do this and thanks to this I forgot about my worries about busy schedule and other stuff. All of that now seem to be less important. NO, it is clearly not important – I am thinking, while travelling back home - what is truly important is to be able to realize how happy you are, to have a home, to live in peace, to be healthy, to have job, family and friends and ability to help others. Going home I smile as I remember a twit from yesterday ( user @kreativenum ) – “Let me ask you something really nice. What makes you happy?"and when I saw it , I jumped to reply without thinking: ”To see happy people and to make people happy!”, and then Jasmina @sorospija (my friend) replied: ” If there was a “best person award” I would give it to you!😃”, then I realized my answer must have sounded a bit like “Miss Universe” kind of reply and we end up both laughing...but I was honest and this day only confirms what I always known about myself. I want to finish with a note that this text is really not about me, but the point is this - we are all connected! This day could have finished differently – I could "mind my own business", finish at work 1h later, go home with heavy head full of the same thoughts and worries, eat, sleep and go to work again tomorrow. But I always choose the other way. I say – let’s be open and honest, let's treat each other with kindness and understanding, share love and optimism, not only during the holidays but every day! If you are nice to life the life will be nice to you! 😊