We’re told to wash our hands and use a tissue and don’t pick your nose and all that jazz because, who wants to spread germs and disease and icky stuff like that?

(And, in case you speak to my dad, please assure him that I agree with all of the above!)

But how cool would it be to spread love and kindness and happiness as easily as my six year old spreads a cold?

I went to see About Time with my husband again yesterday. I loved it so much when we saw it 6 days ago, I told him I just had to see it again. (It was so good, I’d watch it again today but I’ve already promised him I’d not make him come with me a third time and I don’t really want to go on my own!)

One of the takeaways from the first time I watched it was this idea of making the most of every moment. Keeping your eyes open for the things in any and every day that can put a smile on your face.

But yesterday I noticed something I missed the first time round. Something important …

When the lead character Tim decided to (in his words) “relish the remarkable ride” that is daily life, he didn’t just make his day to day life happier.

He improved the lives of the people around him.

His children, his wife, co-workers, random people serving him, his clients. Everyone had a sparkle of sunshine in their day, all because he chose to see it and grab a hold of it and enjoy it.

When you and I make a decision to see the good things, or the funny things, or the daft things … any thing that brings some light to our day, we too are in serious danger of infecting the people around us with light and happiness and wonder and joy.

When you and I choose to grab onto the wonder that is God working, when we really step into and own what it means to be his child, his work of art, his creation, it can not help but spread and infect and touch the lives of the people around us.

What if it’s not about trying to love more? What if it’s not about trying to be happy? What if it’s not about a big effort to remember? What if it’s not about striving?

What if it’s simply about showing up, each and every day, with our eyes wide open to see (and hear and smell and taste) the little glimmers of light that God brings into our day to day lives?

If we really lived that kind of life, we wouldn’t need to strive or try and remember or ask God to help us love, it would all just come fizzing over the top, like a bottle of pop that’s been shaken up.

Messy and sticky and getting into and onto everything!

Sounds rather fun to me 😉