I took a CAD course to sharpen my skills when I worked at my former company. Each day, I shared a desk space with a coworker who had a perpetually sour disposition. He was critical of everything, never cracked a smile, and seemed weighed down by the world.
One day, I decided to ask him directly: “Why are you so angry all the time?”
He turned to me, scowling, and replied, “What is there to be happy about?”
I knew he’d recently had a baby, so I brought it up, thinking it might soften his mood.
“Listen,” he said, his voice heavy as if delivering breaking news. “The world is in bad shape, and I don’t have time to smile. I will make sure my son understands that from an early age.”
I could see where he was coming from, but his perspective felt foreign to me. I know the world isn’t perfect—far from it—but I’ve made a conscious choice to find joy in life’s everyday moments. For me, that’s not just a survival strategy; it’s a legacy my mother passed down.
My childhood was tough. Domestic violence, poverty, and crime were part of my daily reality. Yet, through it all, my mother managed to stay positive and encouraged me to do the same. She didn’t deny our challenges, but she showed me how to find joy despite them. Her humor was her superpower.
A natural jokester, my mother kept us laughing with her playful pranks.
Her jokes were never mean-spirited; they were simple moments of shared delight that lightened our emotional load. I didn’t understand the science of endorphins back then, but I knew one thing: laughter made things better. It didn’t erase the pain, but it gave us the strength to endure.
Because of her example, I’ve made laughter an essential part of my own parenting.
I play practical jokes on my kids, tickle them until they squeal, and make ridiculous faces in the car to coax out giggles.
But humor isn’t the only way we find joy. We savor the little things—dinner conversations, park strolls, movie nights, even helping each other with homework.
Simply being in their presence fills me with happiness.
When my kids are feeling down, I remind them of all the reasons they have to be happy—not to dismiss their feelings, but to help them see the beauty and possibility in life. Dwelling on sorrow doesn’t erase it, but shifting your focus can bring hope.
I often think back to that coworker and hope fatherhood has softened his mindset.
There’s something transformative about a child’s laughter; it has a way of breaking through even the hardest exteriors. Perhaps by now, his son’s joy has taught him what mine have taught me: life may be imperfect, but it’s still worth smiling about.
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Frederick J. Goodall is the Editor-in-Chief of Mocha Man Style, media spokesperson, event host, photographer, and a top social media influencer in Houston, TX. He likes to write about fashion, cars, travel, and health.