Flowers on the Sidewalk

Operation: Positivity had the opportunity to join Make DC Smile on Monday, September 17th. We brought our signs, as well as four big bouquets of daises and roses. We took the metro down to the meeting spot, and on the way, we handed out flowers. It was very intimidating. When you stand on the street with a sign, there are people who smile and honk, and there are people who drive by. Still, it is not as exposing as walking up to someone, looking them in the eye and wishing them well.

What we really learned was that it is a choice. Charles Swindoll said, “Attitude, to me, is more important than … the past, … than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.” If someone walked up to you and handed you a flower, would you take it? Would you smile and promise to have a good day? Or would you refuse the flower? Would you completely ignore the person trying to speak to you? It is the same with attitude. Either you can choose to be happy and smile at the little flowers life gives you, or choose to be isolated and glare at them. What is your choice today?

"We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude." - Thomas S. Monson

A smile is a spark. Start the fire. Pass it on.

What is Operation: Positivity?

Natural disasters. Economic crisis. Dirty politics. Long days at work. War. Rude drivers. Bullying. Family problems. Body-image issues. Teenage pregnancy. Crime. There are so many things in this world that bring us down into the depths of self-pity and general negativity. Just watching the news for an hour can reveal all sorts of terrible events. It's hard to have hope for the future when it seems that everyone is telling us that there is no reason to look forward to a brighter day.

What we need in our lives is a friendly reminder of how good life really is. There are happy moments every single day. Think about it! Everyday, someone is getting married. Everyday, there are babies being born. Everyday, a family is reunited. Everyday, something great is accomplished. Everyday, someone does something kind. Doesn't that make you smile? But wait - shouldn't we be the ones doing that kind deed? Imagine how putting that smile on another's face will make you feel!

That is what three girls from Montgomery County thought when they decided to participate in changing their world. Too young to vote in the upcoming election, they realized that the change isn't going to come from a politician anyway. It was going to start in the hearts of the people in their city. It was going to start with them, with a simple smile. Progress comes from the willingness to try again when things fail. It comes from hope. Operation: Positivity was born.

Through simple actions such as leaving a message on a corkboard, holding a sign that says "You're Awesome," holding the door for someone, helping someone get their bags to their car, giving up your seat to an elderly person or a lady. It is a code of conduct that seems to be extinct. We can revive it!

The first Friday of every month, we are going to be spreading the message of love and hope on various "missions". Please join us as we try to make our community a happier and more hopeful place to live.

This is it - your choice. When the world is telling us that everything is going wrong, we are the ones that can bring a change of heart and mind, a different outlook. You could be the one that brightens the day of a stranger. You never know how far a smile can go. Join the fight to restore hope in humanity. Reach out to those that are lonely, angry, apathetic or just sad. Let's start a wave that cannot be stopped. You can - and will - do more than you know.


A smile is a spark. Start the fire. Pass it on.