If You're Happy and You Know It

You know that song, "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands" (the rest goes stomp your feet, shout amen) It's one we sang yesterday with a group of young adults who have autism and other intellectual disabilities. When we sang that song, everyone sang with such gusto, I could feel the happiness in the room. I asked each to go around the room and say what they were happy about. I was happy for the sunshine and beautiful day. Others were happy about their friends, family, a poetry event they went to that day. It seems we often don't ask each other why we are happy when we feel happy.  But we do ask why we are unhappy when we feel down. I like to pay attention to happiness when it comes.  There is a great movie, "Happy" that is a documentary about the science of happiness.

We also sang, "You Gotta Sing When the Spirit Says Sing" --great song, do you know it?   I'd say though that one of the best moments came when I played my Native American Flute. One boy is Native American and he got up and started dancing. Then a few others did too and the others clapped out a heart beat rhythm.  That was such fun!