What’s in your box?

Inside you is a secret space. Okay…it’s not so secret now, but it’s there and it’s yours and only yours. It’s your HAPPY BOX. If you are too sophisticated for a Happy Box, you might need to have an IRPR—Internal Repository for Positive Resources. That will make all my engineering friends feel much more comfortable, as Happy Box isn’t an acronym for anything.

Metaphors come easily to me. I asked my sister if she thought there was any practical application for that skill and she said I could start a business called Mimi’s Metaphors. I also love alliterations…and marketing…so I’d have to call it Mimi’s Marvelous Metaphors. Actually, I can’t claim them as mine because most seem to be delivered to me by the Spirit just when I need them most. Such was the case with the Happy Box.

In 1993, our dear friends Tedd and Julie lost their two-year-old son. His name was Will, but we always called him Little Will. Our son Will, who was age four at the time, was best friends with Little Will’s older brother Wes, and we needed to keep them all straight.

Understanding the loss of a priceless two-year-old is not possible. Explaining the concept to a four-year-old is not much easier. But we thought we had done a good job of explaining to our son Will what had happened to his llittle friend.

Several weeks after the funeral, I was driving down Plum Street in Hutchinson, Kansas, with Will in his car seat in the back. He and I were singing and having a great time. Suddenly, he started sobbing. I pulled over to the curb (by Hutchinson’s standards, I was on a very busy road) and turned around to see what was wrong.

Through his shuddering sobs he managed to say, “I’m just so ha-a-p-py.”

Understanding I would need more time, I pulled into a near by parking lot so I could focus.

I said, “You know what buddy, the same thing happens to me. Sometimes I am so happy, it makes me cry. Is that it?”

He shook his head, no.

He said, “If you and Daddy die, how will I be happy anymore?”

First, I told him Daddy and I would die, but I didn’t think it would be for awhile. Then I explained that whether he had us with him or not, he would always have happy times.

I said, “You put all the happy times inside a box inside yourself. It’s called your happy box, and when Daddy and I aren’t with you, you can open it up and remember what all the happy times feel like. Even if you’re at school and you get worried or lonely, you can just take off the lid on your happy box and let all those happy thoughts make you feel better.”

Now honestly, before that moment in that parking lot, I had never thought about a happy box. But it made Will feel much better…and me, too. From then on, anytime he was worried or had trouble sleeping, he’d say, “I think I’ll just open my happy box.”

I’ve come to realize what a valuable tool this is for all of us. I’ve used my box so often over the years, the lid may need to be replaced soon. Here’s my personal approach…

Creation of the Happy Box
1.     Think of three or four moments of pure joy in your life that you can pull into your memory clearly. Two of my items are smells, so don’t feel like you have to have a walk down the lane of BIG happy memories, just little ones that are pure joy will do.
2.     Close our eyes and memorize each one.
3.     Visulalize putting it in a beautiful box. Actually, mine is yellow cardboard, but it’s your box and you can make it whatever seems appealing to you !
4.     Carefully close the lid on the box.

Now, whenever you’re feeling stressed, carrying a burden of sadness or the least bit of despair…open the box.

Let one memory after the other come coursing through you. (Breathing deeply while you’re doing this helps.) The joy inherent in each memory will have a transforming effect on you. It’s amazing how easy this is and how well it works. Plus, you can do this anywhere! A board meeting. On the freeway. Before you fall asleep. Anywhere, anytime, because you are the only one who knows you’re doing it…remember, it’s a secret box!

But here’s the catch, you can’t crawl inside it and hide. The purpose of the Happy Box is to enable you to feel the soothing balm of pure joy renew your spirit so that you can pass it on, or at the least, so you can move on.

Here’s to the transforming power of joy. We need just a little to create great goodness.

Let me know if you need help understanding the Happy Box or how to divine the joy moments in your past that can fill you up.

Have a beautiful, happy day!

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