As a leader in a youth group, I chanced to meet one of the state officers at an annual state gathering. Nick's broad smile and firm grasp of my hand was more than enough to infect me with the warmth of his presence.
The piece of bubble gum that he slipped into my hand while shaking it was a pleasant surprise - actually, everyone got the same treatment, it seemed. But the most astounding thing was the greeting he gave to each of us he met:
"Happy Birthday!" he would say in an excited voice.
Happy birthday? So, I asked him,
"Why do you greet each person with a "Happy Birthday"?
"Each day is a re-birth for me. And it is for you, too, in case you didn't know it. Think of how much fun the day of celebrating your birth is. Now, multiply that by the number of days you live."
"What if you could be that happy each and every day of your life? Make it happen, make each day a celebration of just being alive!" he told me, and then moved on to the next person with a resounding:
"Happy Birthday!"
I chewed the gum, and gave it some thought. I read the Bazooka Joe comic it was just like when I was a kid. It took me back, brought memories from a simpler time, a happier time. My first piece of bubble gum, the first time I remember reading the comic on the little piece of paper wrapped around that pink wad of un-chewed gum.
I wanted a turtleneck sweater, so I could pull it up over half my face, just like Joe. I collected a lot of those little comics. Mom eventually made me throw them out. I complained, but I knew that was not the end of the matter - there were a lot more where those came from. Especially in the 5-pack.
I thought about Nick's greeting throughout the meeting while I watched everyone else chew gum. It was a long meeting, but no one complained. I think we all must have thought about it, especially those who didn't ask why he had greeted us that way. Some just gave it their own interpretation, and that was o.k., too.
Somehow, our lives were profoundly changed by that heartwarming encounter with someone who had optimism and joy in his life, and managed to pass it on to the rest of us.
To this day, I connect Bazooka Bubble Gum with Nick.
"Happy Birthday," I whisper, as I unwrap the gum. You can join Unsolved Mysteries and post your own mysteries or
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Halloween is Right around the corner.. .
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