ExploreTruth

My Niece

So my mother sponsored a little get together for my youngest brother and his wife this past weekend. They will be having their first child(A boy) this November.  My other brother made me an uncle earlier this year with the birth of his daughter, so I’m prepared, and ready for this new addition to the clan.  I like this arrangement.  They have the kids.  I get to spend time with them, minus the diapers.

So back to this get-together. Well, really it was a baby shower, but in order to make all the guys feel welcome, my mother, with her endless creativity, switched things up a bit.  One thing that I noticed while stuffing my face eating healthy portions of what was being served, was my 4 month old niece.

Without fail, when most people, approach her with a smile on their face, she is ready with a Cheshire sized smile of her own. Lately I notice she also begins to laugh and giggle, particularly when I’m around(But that’s another issue, and a hypothesis that hasn’t been fully tested).

It’s almost like she is ready and waiting to crack a smile, laugh, or sputter some unintelligible coos of joy. All you have to do is smile at her, say her name, or come to think of it, do just about anything directed at her.

So today, I was thinking to myself.  Where does she get this predisposition towards happiness? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I haven’t heard her cry out in hunger or sleepiness.  But over all, she has a surprisingly pleasant disposition.  Maybe as an adult this is surprising to me, because I’ve learned how to adapt to my surroundings.  Acquiring some of what we adults feel are necessary attributes in a real world.  I’ve built up learned defense mechanisms that greet the stranger with a neutral expression, until I’ve first familiarized myself with who they are.  I approach life at times halfheartedly, and quite possibly gain in return a similar response.

Well, for what its worth, my niece has impressed me, and has already started to teach. A couple days ago I was reminded of what pure innocence, happiness, and a positive outlook on life looks like.  I realized that she wielded a power to change her surroundings by her attitude.  And she’s not faking it.  There’s no pretense.  What you see is what you get.  An encounter with her, and most babies for that matter, seem to leave us adults feeling better, hopeful, and well…smiling.  If only we could remember to approach life the same way.  Who knows how it could change our situations for the better.