How to Spread a Smile Across the World

Have you ever had a day where the cosmos just don't seem to be aligning in your favor and you need someone to help you notice that the sun is still shining?

Meet the world's newest source of sunshine...Grandma Harr as the "Party Rock Grandma":



Here's the story of how her smile (and rockin' dance moves) spread to 195 countries across the world:

Our cousin, Adam, lives with Grandma and helps care for her. She is ninety years old, legally blind, and mostly deaf, so she sometimes gets frustrated with the limitations she deals with daily. But, riding in the car home from dinner one night in December with Adam, she started dancing in her seat to the music he was playing (apparently this happens frequently). When they got home, she wanted to dance more, so he put on LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem and videoed her because (clearly) it's hilarious. You have to admit, she actually has some pretty good moves, especially for being ninety.

He posted it on YouTube, and that was the end...until about a week ago. Last Thursday, the band LMFAO got wind of the video and posted it on their Facebook page. From there, it went viral. It's been viewed over a million times, been shown on multiple news websites, and now Adam and Grandma are being approached to appear on TV! Yesterday, they were on Good Things Utah (ABC), and now the Today show wants to have them on next week. Crazy!

Graham and I went to see grandma on Sunday, and we asked her about her dancing. She told us that she just couldn't resist "that hot beat music" Adam plays; she has to dance! I love it. She fully recognizes that this is just her fifteen minutes of fame, but I love seeing her with something special to look forward to, even if only for the next fifteen minutes.

Even more, I love how much attention she's getting because it proves that people want to see and hear about things that make them happy. So much of the news around us is sad; it's nice to be reminded of the beauty and joy in simple daily events.

I can't resist smiling when I watch Grandma's videos...I bet you can't either. Her joy in a simple dance party for one is truly contagious...and I hope the virus keeps spreading smiles around the world...for at least another fifteen minutes or so.

May we all find the simple-joys-of-life-loving side of ourselves and rock out! And, if you ever need a boost on one of those days when the world seems against you, you know where to look for a small dose of sunshine.