One Easter, when I was in 3^rd grade, my mother made me a dress that made me feel very special. It was blue plaid with a white collar and a red bow. Plus, I got a pair of red ballerina slippers. As I describe it now, it sounds hideous. But as a young girl, I thought my new outfit was beautiful. I was very proud of what my mother was making me, that I described the dress to a classmate.

Getting dressed Easter morning, I was so happy I glowed. But when I arrived at church, I discovered that the classmate I had shared with about my new dress had asked her mother to make her one just like it. My light went out and I just stood there looking at my pretty dress on someone else, and suddenly it looked awful. I was hurt and angry at both her and her mother for stealing my dress.

Mother saw my expression at church and heard my tears when we got home. She simply said, “Jackie, you looked very pretty in your new Easter outfit. Now don’t let them rain on your parade.” Mother’s advice was little comfort at the time, but it stuck with me and has served me well since then. Thank you, Mom, for giving me that very wise advice!

Very few people can make it through a day feeling great, because they let people rain on their parade. In other words, they let the moods, words, or actions of others take away the celebration of life that is theirs to share. And since it is almost impossible to go through a day without bumping into someone’s bad mood or stupidity raining down on us, we sadly let others become the director of our lives.

Yes, reacting to bad energetic rain is usually an automatic response from our programmed unconscious minds, but it isn’t impossible to change. All you need to do is say to yourself, “No one can rain on my parade.” Their response is theirs, and mine is mine. Their response may even mirror yours, just as her dress mirrored mine. But she was not me–my feelings and my looks belonged exclusively to me. So take my mother’s advice, wear your celebration of life proudly, and don’t let anyone take it away.