He was a tiny, balding, elderly man, with hunched shoulders.
After a hasty breakfast, he patted the toast crumbs off his usual shabby suit and shuffled towards the door.
?Stop!? said his wife, Ira. ?You forgot the garbage. It's stinking up the whole apartment.?
?I'd prefer not to. It will make my suit smell.?
His robust, large, redheaded wife flew into a rage and slammed the door behind him.
?Don't come back, you ingrate,? she shouted from the top story window. ?I'll do everything myself from now on!?
Walking to work, his only friend, Leo, approached him and asked for a small loan to tide him over for the weekend.
Ivan winced as the tall, heavy man breathed alcoholic fumes in his face.
?I'd prefer not to. It will mean I'll have to do without lunch again.?
?See if I talk to you again, you selfish imp,? cursed Leo and stalked away.
At work, after he had perched behind his desk and began his book-keeping task, his boss, Alexander Korjev, a great big potato of a man with a voice like a fog-horn came in, swore at him for incompetence, and showed him how he had entered some figures in the ledger incorrectly the previous day.
?Fix this right now,? he shouted.
?I'd prefer not to,? said Ivan.
?What! What did you say to me? How DARE you speak to me like this?you, you?pipsqueak!?
?You heard me correctly,? said Ivan. ?I said, I'd prefer not to. In fact, I'd prefer not to work for a man who treats me like a fool.?
Shuffling to his feet, Ivan walked toward the door, leaving the seething, red-faced man staring at his back.
On the bus, the burly man with the thick black coat and a pinched face like Lenin said, ?Excuse me, sir. But for the last ten years I have never seen you smile before or even look up from your shoes, can you tell me why you are smiling like an idiot today!?
?It's because I'm having the best day of my life.?
?Rubbish,? said the man. ?In these times, it's not possible.?
?Listen,? said Ivan, a note of authority in his voice (which even surprised him): ?You, too, will have the best day of your life when you realize that the gift is yours, and it's an amazing journey, and you alone are responsible for the quality of it.?
The bus pulled to a stop a few block before the Kremlin. The man got up, then suddenly turned to Ivan and pulled out a fistful of rubles from his big coat and started stuffing them into Ivan's breast pocket.
?What are you doing,? cried Ivan, alarmed. ?Have you gone quite mad??
?Yes,? said the man, laughing. ?I'm paying my obligation to you right now.?
?Wait! ? said Ivan suddenly as the man started walking away. Rising from his seat, he followed the stranger off the bus.
?How should we begin?? asked his new friend, wiping the tears of mirth from his eyes.
?I'm not sure,? said Ivan, wiping his own tears. ?It's such a large adventure.?
The best day of your life is the day you decide your life is your own.
The Best Day Of Your Life
Here are little things one can do to make everyday the best day;
1. Individuals have different personalities and that is something one should keep in mind so if the person is either at work or in school, it is nice to have good rapport with the people.
2. Making someone's day by giving a compliment to someone who has done a good job and encouraging the person to do more can really go a long way. It has an effect that when given to an individual, has a surprising affect on others as well.
3. While on the way to work, one can greet and smile anyone the person encounters. Studies have shown that this is little gesture makes everyone's day bright.
4. It is better to give than to receive and if that person has some things to share, one can donate old clothes and other used items that are no longer used to people who may need it.
5. A person can still do some good even when one is not at home or at work. An individual can do this with volunteer work at the nursing home, hospitals, non-government and non-profit organizations. There are a lot of people who need help and sharing that love people who haven't experience that in a long time is highly appreciated.
6. Mistakes may happen but from it, a lesson can be learned. By looking at the positive side of things instead of dwelling on what has happened, a person can move forward and see a better result out of the whole ordeal.
7. In any endeavor one chooses to do, it can only be successful if the person has the passion for it. Money is not a primary factor in getting through life. It is merely one of the perks that one gets in enjoying something a person loves to do. By having fun, obstacles will just pass and everything will be just fine.
8. Being caught up with work or school, it has made some people forget other things. One can spend some time with the parents during the day and just have a conversation. Another option will be for the person to call up an old friend and just ask how the other one is doing.
Everyday can be a happy day. For some it is material such as money, a big house and a fancy car. Other people are content with having a close relationship with a higher being. The definition of being happy is different for every individual and this all depends on what that person values in life.
Doing a good deed which doesn't have to be something fancy is one way of being happy. It can be a small thing but it will really matter a lot to the one that got it. If an elderly person is crossing the street, one can assist until the person safely crosses. If there is a car along the highway that is in trouble, the individual can pullover and offer some assistance. One can call a relief organization and become a member or donate some blood to the hospital to someone who might need it in the future.
There are people out there who need help and it is never too late to share what one can offer to other people. There is so much that a person can do to touch the lives of family members, friends and strangers. It just takes a little effort for one not to be selfish and be concerned about the welfare and being of other individuals.
Making a difference is not that difficult and can start today. By doing one's share even just a little to make others feel happy everyday and not only during Christmas, it will make the person feel that today and every single day after that is a good day.
Both Saleem Rana & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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