Watch the video if you want to see me slapped.
Otherwise, the script outline is below if you prefer to read.

I went to a Prince concert the other night. It was fantastic. At the beginning the lights dimmed, the band struck up and 20,000 people jumped to their feet in a a deafening roar. About 3 bars in, I got a firm tap on the shoulder. Oh boy. You know what’s coming.

I turned around and behind me sat a man and a woman, both wearing a frown and their mouths screwed up like a chook’s bum.

“Excuse me” says the woman. Yeah, you can tell she’s been speaking for this man for probably 30 years. “Can you to sit down please?”

I gestured to the 20,000 other people. “Look at the stadium, they’re all standing up.”
“Yes,” said the woman, “but he can’t see so you’ll need to sit down.”

We were completely crowded in by dancing fans by this stage. Even if I sat down someone was bound to drop their drink on him.

I looked around the immediate area and pointed out a block of two seaters by the aisle where no one was sitting. I said “If you sit there, you’re closer to the stage and no one will bother you.”

Then the man spoke up (not sure how he spoke with his mouth screwed up like a chook’s bum, but he did) “Well, why don’t YOU move there?”

At this point I gave up, turned around and continued enjoying the show. At the end as the house lights came up I got a firm cuff over the back of my head just so I knew how he really felt.

It made me smile and reminded me of something we all need to be reminded of.

Write this one down and keep it where you can see it.

Every moment
of every day,
I have the choice
to be happy or unhappy.

This is in no one else’s power.
The choice is yours.
And there is no one else to blame for the choice you make.

Now this man could have made the choice to be happy and stood up every now and then.

He could have the choice to be happy, closed his eyes and listened to these amazing musicians.

He could have made the choice to be happy and enjoy the view of 6 women writhing in front of him.

He could have made the choice to be happy by moving to the quieter spot with a better view as I had suggested.

But he didn’t.

He made the choice to be unhappy.
Why is this?
I believe it is because he thought he had someone to blame.

He spent 2 1/2 hours looking daggers at my back.
Probably even bigger daggers because I was having fun.

Then he would have complained about it all the way home.
Complained about it the next day,
maybe even a week or so telling everyone who would listen
about that selfish woman in front of him who “ruined his night”.

Ha! How often have you heard that one? I’ve even heard little children copying their parents “You’ve ruined my day! You’ve ruined everything!” Hilarious and yet, really sad.

His friends might show some sympathy for, oh about 2 seconds, and then not care anymore.

So no one was really affected by his decision to be unhappy except himself and perhaps his long suffering wife if she made the choice to be unhappy too.

So remember to ask yourself whenever you get into any situation where you’re not happy.

“Do I choose to be happy or unhappy?”
It’s that simple.

If you choose to be happy, what is the path of least resistance to get there?
Do you accept where you are and enjoy yourself?
Or take action and move to a better spot?

The choice is completely up to you.

Annabelle

PS – An extreme and brilliant example of this choice is in the Academy Award winning movie “Life is Beautiful” by Claudio Alfonsi.

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