One of my favorite qualities about Leslie, my bride, is that she is happy 99% of the time.

She’s chosen to be happy so often that she even giggles in her sleep.

I love being around happy people.

Happy people make me happy.

You almost have to try to be in a bad mood around genuinely happy people.

Have you ever met someone and automatically feel welcomed with open arms into their happiness?

Leslie and I recently visited a small smoothie shop in Chattanooga, TN, where we encountered such a person.

When we first opened the door, Lucy Dibrell was having fun with the shop's only customer. She interacted with him effortlessly and playfully, as if they had been friends for years. As they exchanged goodbyes on his way out, I naturally assumed he was a regular.

While Leslie and I perused the menu, the gentleman reentered the business to take a picture for his social media account. After Lucy commented and laughed, I realized he, too, was a rookie shopper.

Within milliseconds of all that happening, Lucy redirected her joyful demeanor toward us.

She flashed a heartfelt smile and greeted us with a “Hey y’all!” that felt as if she’d been hoping we’d stop by for months.

There were other nice people working with her, but Lucy’s demeanor really pulled us in. She treated us as if she considered herself blessed to have the opportunity to serve us, even if only for a single transaction.

After we told her where we live, Lucy took her excitement to another level. She expressed her faith in Christ; her sisterly pride beamed as she told us about her big brother, who attends Auburn University; and she destroyed my preconceived notions—in a good way.

With Lucy leading the way in making us feel welcome on our first visit, her happiness was one of the main reasons we visited the shop two more times—sadly, she was only there on our first trip.

Whether at work, at home, or just going about our lives, happiness is more meaningful and lasting when we share it—and when we help create it for others.