Jack always knew he was special. Even as a kid he felt different from the other kids. Some people said he was introvert. Some said he was maybe retarded a bit. Others called him a nerd or a loner. Even the words “idiot” or “queer” were sometimes mentioned.
But Jack was happy the way he was. He always saw the world around him in beautiful colors. For him there were no blacks or grays. He spent hours walking around admiring the houses, the flowers, the people, the other kids, the animals, the trees, and even the roads. He was happy when the sun was shining and he was happy when it rained. He did not hear it when some people called him names and he did not recognize some of the looks he got. He was simply happy.
His parents loved him, but even they could not understand his happiness. They worried a lot about him, thinking that maybe the other people were right, maybe there was something wrong with Jack.
Finally, when Jack was ten years old his parents decided enough is enough. Nobody could be happy all the time. Something had to be wrong with him. They called the school and asked the headmaster about Jack and what to do with him. “What can I tell you?” said the headmaster, “Jack is progressing normal for a kid his age. He is never mad and never in any trouble. I wish all the kids were like him.”
Maybe we should talk to a psychologist his parents thought, so they called Dr. Morton who was recommended to them by the family doctor. Dr. Morton agreed to see Jack in a week’s time.
“Hello Dr. Morton”, Jack said politely when he entered the office.
“Hi there Jack, just sit across from me on the couch here.” Dr. Morton said, “How are you doing today?”
“Great,” Jack said, “it’s a beautiful day and I am really happy.”
Dr. Morton looked out the window. It was raining cats and dogs. “Jack, tell me, what is so great about a day when it rains as hard as it does now?”
Jack smiled, “There is beauty in everything, even though some people do not seem to realize it. To me, this world is just one big beautiful moment after another. No matter where I go and no matter what I look at I see beauty in it. Maybe it is as they say: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
“Do you ever feel sad?” Dr. Morton asked. “Sure I feel sad,” Jack said, “but even in sadness there is beauty. Beauty is not only an image, it is also an attitude. It all depends on HOW you look at something, and on HOW you perceive it.”
Dr. Morton was astonished to hear these words from a ten year old. “But doesn’t it get tiresome if everything is beautiful, if there is no contrast, no good or bad, beautiful or ugly?” he asked Jack.
“Do you ever get tired of watching a beautiful sunset, even though it happens thousands of times over a lifetime?” Jack asked, “Do you ever get tired of admiring a beautiful bunch of roses? And yes, there IS bad in this world, but I have decided not to let it influence me. If I can do something about it, I will. If not, I will have to accept it, but I don’t have to let it change my mind about being happy.”
“Dr. Morton,” Jack leaned forward on the couch and looked the doctor right into his eyes, “after listening to all the adults around me, their worrying, their anger, their fights, I decided that I would be different. I would see beauty in everything in life, and with everything I do mean everything. No matter how other people would see it, I would see beauty. I would surrender myself to this beauty all around me, and it would keep me happy. With so much beauty there is no need to worry, or to get mad, or to fight.”
After the session, Dr. Morton called Jack’s parents. “There is nothing wrong with Jack,” he said, “he is nobody’s fool. Just make sure he doesn’t change. And by the way, since it is such a beautiful day today, I will be closed for the rest of the day.” Jack’s father put the phone down and looked out the window. It was raining cats and dogs.