When I got up this morning and saw that it had been raining, these lyrics popped into my head-

“Hangin’ around,
Nothing to do but frown,
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”

This old song was originally recorded by The Carpenters, one of my favorite groups when I was growing up. As a moody pre-teen and teen, this song often expressed how I was feeling every Monday as I got ready for school. It’s funny how my brain can pair a song with so many vivid memories of teenage angst, but I can’t really remember much of what happened yesterday!

As my morning progressed, I found myself thinking about the lyrics and chuckling to myself. Mondays can be a little hectic sometimes, but should I really be discriminating against this particular day of the week? And, to be quite honest, I actually really like rainy days. Maybe this song no longer holds the sentiment for me that it did so many years ago.

You see, now I understand that happiness is a choice. I can choose to enjoy each moment regardless of the circumstances in my life. Granted, I don’t always make that choice, but learning is a process and I’m trying- okay?! My flesh naturally wants to gravitate towards negativity, so I have to coach myself through the process of looking at the bright side. An attitude of gratitude will turn my frown upside down!

Rainy days and Mondays… they just provide me with more chances to enjoy my life.

If you want to be happy, be. – Leo Tolstoy