Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from You.”

Coming into the office one morning, I was met by a student worker’s greeting; she said: “My, you’re chipper this morning.” (Chipper: cheerful, lively, buoyant, happy and energetic.) Well, that was a bit of a shock, since I thought I always looked chipper and lively. Was my idea of chipper too restrained, too understated? Did I, by way of exception (!) look glum? Do I come in preoccupied and worried looking?

Who invented chipperness? Or chipperosity. Am I deceiving myself? How do others perceive me? Am I letting myself off the hook too easily? Am I too ready to believe myself to be “God’s gift to less happy people”? Shouldn’t we believe the best of ourselves? Is being chipper too high an ideal?

Do I try to project a particular attitude? Am I being honest? Should I simply offer the world whatever mood or attitude I’m in at the moment and let the chips fall where they may? Do I comfort less happy people around me by not being too chipper?

Does being honest take priority over any obligation to contribute to a happy atmosphere? Should we feel some responsibility by our actions to console those who have good reason for being unhappy? Are we aware of all the burdens and worries that afflict those around us?

Does being chipper deter less happy people from opening their sorrows and pain to us? (Oh, she’d never understand; her life is devoid of worry, disagreement, etc. She’d be happy to find that her husband had prepared a dinner of corndogs for the fifth time this week.)

Maybe remind myself: I have another day! A gift! Or, gratitude for the hope that comes with trust in Jesus Christ, gratitude for faith, health, patience (occasionally), the love of family, confreres, friends. I could not possibly have ever deserved all this: life, friends, health, pleasing work…. Maybe being chipper needs no excuse, is it always a good practice?

Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”

Reply to Fr. Don at: DTalafous@csbsju.edu

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