"Enthusiasm is an attribute that feeds our happiness. [It] brightens a situation. It feeds energy. It feels good. When I was a seminary student, my teacher demanded enthusiasm. He taught us that four things would feed it: wanting to be enthusiastic; sticking with it; letting ourselves be happy; and being careful not to get too carried away because that could lead to having-to-lie-on-the-floor exhaustion. [...] We had to give ourselves permission to feel the joy that is a by-product of enthusiasm. Joy can be a little embarrassing if you aren't used to it. It feels a little too Hallmark TV Channelish. A little false. Except it isn't. It's true and it feeds our happiness, our health, and our sanity as it balances out the inevitable sorrows in our lives. [...]
I can tell when people live their lives with enthusiasm. They are surrounded by things they love. They are happy. And they are helpful -- whether you are an old friend or a stranger asking for directions."
-- Geri Larkin, Plant Seed, Pull Weed: Nurturing the Garden of Your Life"
