Today was that day for me, and "The Teacher" was an infant girl, no more than a year old, who was being pushed down the street. In just that brief few seconds she conveyed the wisdom of a lifetime, a knowing and understanding beyond words that I'll do my best to help you taste, through the power of the written language.



There I was on my walk going over some things in my head and caught up in my own stuff, when the movement of the approaching carriage caught my eye and this small toddler was just beaming! In that second of catching her gaze and seeing those wide-open-and-radiating-joy eyes, I instantly got it.

You've no doubt seen this yourself, that big smile and pure joyful look the infants give you, probably with that laugh of happiness, and it instantly makes you full of happiness, too, just seeing it.

It's the kind of look that brings people in from miles away (it seems like) to gather around and go "ga-ga" over the beautiful baby.

These admirers - usually moms themselves - know that look, and they know the power of that look. Yet they don't go beyond it to reflect on where its power comes from, or to explore how that same "beingness" that leads to the baby *having* that look is something they can have, too.

You know how that look affects you - because all happy babies have it. And you know how it instantly pierces through all "your stuff" and brings you to "Perfect Joy".

For example, just from that brief encounter, the rest of my walk home my smile was beaming wide, and almost an hour later and it still is - I just can't help but be extremely happy and joy-full, thanks to being "hit" with the pure essence of joy from that young child!

Can you feel it?

Go back there yourself, maybe from watching your own kids expressing their beingness the same way at that age. Got that same big smile I have now? Great. Stay there!

And pass this same "Joyful Being" to someone else, because it *IS* contagious and it's meant to be shared. Near the end of my walk I saw a neighbor whom I've only previously waived to as he drives by, and this time he was mailing something.

He said, "And how are you this fine morning?"

"Excellent!" I said with my smile so big my mouth was half open. "How are you?"

"Great! I couldn't be better," he said.

Chances are he'll share that "Infusion of Joy" also with his wife, and who knows where it'll go from there.

What I want you to realize is that "This Gift", this state of Joyful Being that makes you feel so good, and it's so intense it must spread from you to others, making them as happy and joyful as you... that gift is available to you all the time. It's already within you.

In fact, you haven't lost that same beingness this small baby was in when she gave this gift to me, before I gave it to you. You may have misplaced it, but you haven't lost it. It's just a matter of remembering it's part of who you are, and *knowing* it's what you're meant to express... every day!

Several years ago I started the "Touch Someone's Life Today" Campaign after I was just walking down the street and a woman walking the other way gave me a big smile, which I graciously returned.

That innocent gift from a friend I had not met made me feel good and feel inspired to help others feel good, too.

That's the power of this gift we've both been given today, from this small child, and it really does make a big difference to others when you reach out to give them unconditional joy.

Thing is, Newton's Law works in this case, too, where "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction... Because it's impossible for you to give joy to others without you getting as least as much joy back yourself.

Can you think of a more immediate or better way to get yourself feeling great, than to give someone else something as easy - and pure - as a warm smile? (Try it on for size :-)

Or how much more happy would you be by making the commitment to do just one thing to "Touch Someone's Life Today" each day? Or even better, if you made the decision right now that you were going to go back to your "Joyful Being" - when you were beaming happily just like this infant girl who started spreading "The Happiness Virus"...

Until it becomes quite natural (and inevitable) for you to radiate that pure joy and happiness to others.

How much more happier then would you be?

Based on how great I feel as a result of being touched in such a pure way by the unfiltered "beingness" of that baby, I can guess the answer to that question for you.... "Infinitely more happy!"

So then, as I ask you one more question, and I'll give you a hint, the correct answer is "No": "Is there any reason for you to not make that decision and go back to that same state of Joyful Being you had when you were a baby?" So do that now!