29 April 2026

We have a privet hedge round our front garden. Across the road, a neighbour has a wall constructed with breeze blocks. The other day, one of the children in the house took some large coloured chalks and began colouring in the breeze block bricks in a colourful pattern.

The dull grey of the breeze block was instantly transformed with red and yellow, green and blue. It made a startling impact upon us and cheered up the neighbourhood. As well as the coloured bricks, there were some words, an instruction to us all, ‘Be Happy!’

What made the child create such splendid pageantry? Was she happy because it was her birthday? Or perhaps the family was going away on the May weekend? Or perhaps something had gone wrong at home? Was it an instruction to those who lived inside?

It may have been a shout which we would all like to make to a world which is badly scarred with warfare, violence and civil unrest? ‘Be happy!’ If only we could take it on board  through the innocence of a child who sees a route out of the madness enveloping our world.

Our happiness is born out of love. If we love and are loved, we will have something with which to rejoice. The potential is within us all to love even when love is not reciprocated. But  often it is and in what measure. It is a starting point.

Love leads to gratitude and gratitude leads onto service. This is where happiness is to be found. We shouldn’t be surprised because ‘God is love.’ says St. John. ‘No-one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is perfected in us.’ It is as colourful and as easy  as that!