“It’ll take YEARS to untangle this,” I hopelessly said to myself. A cardboard box sat in front of me replete with intertwined orange, white, and black extension cords. To unravel them and then to find one that wasn’t frayed or torn seemed like a complete waste of time to me. Regardless, I dumped out all the cords and I went at it.

When I signed up to help decorate Phoenix’s Beatitudes Campus for Christmas, I became ecstatic and thought of putting up Christmas trees, putting together a Nativity, and maybe even wrapping presents. My excitement was immediately gunned down when I was told I would be putting up icicle lights in the main parking lot. “Hang up Christmas lights? Me? No,” I thought, rapidly characterizing myself as “too good” for a job like that. However, my conscience wouldn’t permit me to go back on a commitment, so I swallowed my pride and I went.

We pulled into the parking lot, and I immediately scowled. The parking lot was immense. I imagined I would spend at least a few weeks hanging up the electric icicles—and then some. I grabbed the plastic box of icicles and dragged myself to the first section of the lot. I would hang up a few lights and it felt as if though 5 more lights would appear in the box. I managed to get halfway done when one of the older residents came out of there room and saw all the lights. She beamed at me, exposing her immaculate teeth. “It’s beautiful! Thank you very much young man for the wonderful addition!” I was surprised. Who knew doing such a menial job would captivate anyone? Was she genuinely happy or was she just trying to harass me? After a while, I paid no mind to her comments and continued. Soon enough, more and more elderlies strolled by, inundating me with “thank-you’s,” and “they’re so beautiful’s.” And then it finally hit me. Here I am, mulling around, hanging Christmas lights as if I was obligated to while the inhabitants of Beatitudes were overjoyed by the marvelous glow of the icicles. I was acting so selfish and indifferent that I was missing out on being happy and satisfied with the job that I had done. Hanging up Christmas icicles didn’t sound so bad after all.

I grabbed the remaining lights, and I hung them up, this time, with a lasting grin on my face. In a few hours, I had decorated the parking lot with brilliantly blue icicles that gave life to the boring black and white campus. Every corner of the lot was shimmering with the dainty bulbs. That day, I left Beatitudes Campus with the notion that making someone’s day only works if you make your own day as well. Who knew that hanging up Christmas lights could make someone so philosophical?