Shann is genuinely a happy person. He is cheerful, lighthearted, and never moody or depressed. He sings daily and is genuinely a joy to be married to. Growing up, one of his favorite songs says, “A happy heart is like a medicine.” This song talks about the difference between a joyful heart and a crushed spirit. It reminds me of another verse Dad I memorized, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Therefore, we do not lose heart.” What incredible words – lose heart. This, to me, is the gift of hope, this buoyancy of joy even during difficulty. My Dad struggled, feeling crushed at times. He struggled with sickness and depression, but he never wanted to lose heart, especially to cancer. I am thankful to watch this struggle because I see it in my own life, this seduction to be crushed, to lose the joy, to lose the hope, to lose my heart to discouragement. Dad understood this was a changeable daily decision for him—a decision to choose a happy heart as a medicine. He would not talk about how he felt. He would not discuss the cancer. Instead, he wanted to talk about what brought him joy; he wanted to live in gratitude. 

A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression. – Proverbs 17:22

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