One Second That Changed Everything In My Life

Life is full of surprises, and sometimes, the most unexpected encounters can teach us the most valuable lessons. That’s what happened to me one day when I met a stranger who changed my perspective on life.

It was a cold and rainy day, and I was feeling miserable and depressed. I had just lost my job, and I was struggling to pay my bills and find a new one.

I felt like a failure, and I had no hope for the future. I decided to go for a walk, hoping to clear my mind and find some solace.

As I was walking, I saw a man sitting on a bench, holding a sign that said: “Homeless, hungry, please help”.

He looked old and frail, and he was shivering from the cold. He had a sad and weary expression on his face, and he seemed to have given up on life.

I felt a pang of pity for him, and I decided to give him some money. I approached him and handed him a few coins, and he looked at me with gratitude and said, “Thank you, God bless you.”

I smiled and nodded, and I was about to walk away when he said, “Can I ask you a question?”

I was surprised, but I said, “Sure, what is it?”

He said, “Are you happy?”

His question took me aback, and I didn’t know how to answer. I thought about my life and how miserable and hopeless it was.

I thought about all the problems and challenges I was facing and how I had no idea how to overcome them. I thought about all the things I wanted to do and achieve and how I had no chance of fulfilling them.

I realized that I was not happy, and I said, “No, I’m not”.

He nodded and said, “I understand. I used to be like you. I used to have a job, a family, a home, and a lot of dreams. I used to be happy. But then, I lost everything. I lost my job, my wife, my kids, my house, and my dignity. I ended up on the streets with nothing but this sign and this bench. I was miserable and hopeless, and I thought that I had nothing to live for.”
But then, I met someone who changed my life. He was a stranger, just like you, who gave me some money and asked me a question. He asked me, ‘Are you happy?’”

I was curious, and I said, “No, I’m not. How can I be happy when I have nothing?”

He smiled and said, “You have something that many people don’t have. You have the power to choose. It is up to you to decide whether to be happy or unhappy. You have the option of focusing on what you already have or what you lack. You have the option to choose to be thankful or resentful. It is up to you to decide whether to live or die. Happiness is not a condition; and it is a decision. And you can make that decision right now.”

I was stunned, and I didn’t know what to say.

He continued and said, “I made that decision, and it changed my life. I decided to be happy despite having nothing. I decided to focus on what I have, which is this moment, this breath, and this life. I decided to be grateful for the kindness of strangers, for the beauty of nature, for the gift of existence. I decided to live and make the best of what I have.

And you know what? I am happy. I am happier than I ever was when I had everything. Because happiness is not about having; it is about being. And I am being happy right now.”

He looked at me with a radiant smile and said, “You can be happy too if you choose to. You have more than you think, and you can do more than you imagine. You have a job, a family, a home, and a lot of dreams. You have a lot of potential and a lot of opportunities. You have a lot of reasons to be happy and a lot of ways to make others happy. You have a lot of life and a lot of love. You have to see it, appreciate it, and use it. You have to choose to be happy and to live your life to the fullest. You have to make that decision right now.”

He reached out his hand and said, “Will you make that decision with me? Will you choose to be happy and to live your life to the fullest?”

I looked at his hand and then at his face. I saw the sincerity and the joy in his eyes, and I felt something stir in my heart. I realized that he was right and that I had a choice.

I realized that I had been wasting my life and that I could change it. I realized that I had been unhappy and that I could be happy.

I smiled, and I took his hand, and I said, “Yes, I will.”

He squeezed my hand and said, “Thank you, God bless you.”

I thanked him, and I blessed him too.

We hugged, and we parted ways.

But we didn’t say goodbye.

We said hello.

Hello to a new life.

Hello to a new perspective.

Hello to a new happiness.

That was the day that I met a stranger who changed my life.

That was the day that I learned the most essential life lesson.

That was the day that I chose to be happy.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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From The Good Men Project on Medium

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