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It’s Going to Be Okay

The Source

I was somewhere between the laundry detergent and the paper plates in ShopKo when she stopped me. It wasn’t a head-on crash, but in peering through my new glasses for the words “Cold Water Detergent” I nearly stumbled into her. She looked at me and said, “It’s going to be okay.” Thinking that she was commenting on my dementia, I thanked her, but she could tell I hadn’t understood her. “I mean it,” she said, “It’s going to be okay.” There are worse things than bumping in to an old friend on a chilly morning and having her assure you that something. . . whatever it is. . . is going to be okay. She went on to explain. “I’ve been watching the news and seeing how the world’s going and thought I’d just spend the morning telling people that it’s all going to be okay. We’re in good hands.” I knew the lady to be a loving Christian gal so I think I got the gist of her message. We chatted a bit more and then she went on her way as I again bent and squinted to search for a detergent that would allow me to wash my red socks with my white shirt. But it got me to thinking. . . well, about several things. My friend had reminded me that we live in what is still the most blessed nation on earth, we were both relatively healthy (in spite of my inability to read detergent labels), that God was indeed in charge, and that it’s okay to sometimes ignore what’s going on in the rest of the world. Our northern neighbor, Rushville, annually picks out a day in September and labels it Smiles Day. It’s an event that stretches back to almost World War I when the town was looking for a way to welcome back its soldiers from that conflict. Although the event has now grown to a huge celebration featuring a parade, a carnival and vendors, live entertainment and most recently it’s been combined with the Rushville High School Homecoming, the day began as simply an opportunity to show good will to each other. One Rushville citizen in a promo for the event said, “It’s a day for us to come together as community, no matter what’s trying to divide us. It’s a great day to just enjoy each other and be thankful.” So what would it hurt if Jacksonville had its own Smiles Day? Okay, to keep from stealing Rushville’s title we could call it Happiness Day, Encouragement Day, Friendship Day? Sound too smarmy and saccharin? Then call it July 25th or something less Mary Poppins, but simply make it a day where we all make it a point to encourage each other, to lift the spirits of our fellow citizens, to simply take a cue from Rushville and smile? No need for a parade, no call for flea markets or even dance teams on the downtown square. . . simply a day where we all make it a point to be nice to each other. No expense, no sweat, no excuse not to do it. Okay, we could give away buttons with a happy face or something like that just to show others that we’re in on the program and that our grin is not something that should get us arrested. And just to help get the word out, how about the real estate agencies or insurance firms or car dealers buy blank buttons (less than 50 cents apiece on Amazon Prime) and dole them out to the elementary school art teachers of Jacksonville, allowing the kids to make buttons for the entire town? But lest this project explode like Topsy into too much of an ordeal, a simple day of being nice to each other would suffice. No traffic to stop, no pancakes to flip, no items to donate or tickets to sell . . . just a bit of humanity. More and more I find myself in social situations where the issues of politics, government or even patriotism cannot be safely mentioned. Let’s not fool ourselves. . . there are elements of our society that think they would benefit if they can somehow divide us. There are many days when I can do my chores around the house, keep the lawn in good shape and even pay a few bills, but what I could really use is someone to simply encourage me and say, “You know, it’s going to be okay.” We have a giving community and whenever a need becomes evident we’re quick to respond. Perhaps what we need most is a simple dose of reassurance and inspiration. As I checked out of the store that morning the clerk behind the counter asked me if I had my ShopKo card. I said, as usual, that I couldn’t find it and she smiled. Then I tried out my newly acquired skill and said, “But don’t worry, it’s going to be okay.” She gave me a look that seemed to say that my senior citizen van was waiting and that I’d better hurry. Maybe I need to work on my tone.