From the Book Walk Tall – Affirmations for People of Color by Carleen Brice

No matter how bad things got, our ancestors found something to laugh at.  Humor was one of their positive coping skills.

A sense of humor can get us through some pretty tough spots, but sometimes it’s hard to find things to laugh at.  The bills aren’t paid.  The house is a mess.  We are alone, sick, or tired.  We feel like everybody is on our case.

In those times when it’s difficult to smile, we can ask for our Higher Power’s help.  We can let God fill us with enthusiasm so that we can keep going.  Think of people who “get happy” in church.  The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek word entheos, which means “to inspire” and entheos was derived from theos, the Greek word for “God.”

We also can look for the twinkle in our mate’s eyes or the light in a child’s voice.  Feeling connected to others helps lift our spirits and reminds us that we’re not alone.