"To all who come to this happy place: Welcome."

"To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here, age relives fond memories of the past . . . and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America . . . with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world."

This quotation has immortalized Walt Disney's spirit in his opening speech for Disneyland on 17 July 1955. Recordings of this speech have been used in parades, shows, and firework displays countless times. Disney fans of all ages cannot help but shiver, chills racing up and down their spines as Walt's voice bounces across the castle's lake to dance in our hearts. But the words said so long ago serve a greater purpose than aesthetics or entertainment. Arguably, it could even be more so for the park's benefit than ours.

The constant integration of Walt Disney's voice booming over speakers in Disneyland brings back the tradition and original purpose the park had when it first opened in the 50's. The park was for people to enjoy, to savor and to satisfy our inner child, much like he mentions in the part of his speech captioned above. Even after sixty years, the integrity of the park is kept the same way as it was when the man who built it all walked along the sidewalks of Main street. Making sure to keep the park as Disney as possible, park coordinators and imagineers consistently attempt to connect all the new innovations, rides and technology to the original drive of a man and a mouse to bring happiness and dreams to a world of angst and harsh reality.

If you ask any Disney fan what they may feel while walking into a park, you might find that many times words can't do the feeling justice. There is a special magic that people encounter as they step to the music on Main Street, ride the Matterhorn in Fantasy land, converse with staff in the stores or even feed the ducks at the Big Bear Restaurant. Regardless of what they are doing, how long they have been there or the things they have experienced, they will always begin any response with a smile. And it might be because of the mickey shaped chocolate ice cream or they just received an autograph from their favorite Disney character, but for some reason Disneyland makes people happy. If you didn't know already, it has something to do with the man who founded it all.

Spirit. It really can be that simple. Imagine walking down a street to work, school or a friend's house. As you walk the familiar path, you notice all the familiar places and faces that pass you along your way. But this time, a person catches your eye. Be it male or female, old or young, this person just simply stands out from the rest of the crowd. They don't stir feelings of romance, and it has little to do with what they are wearing. Rather they just seem to glow. As they pass you, perhaps with a twinkle in their eye, they send a smile your way. All of a sudden, a feeling of contentment and deep satisfaction fills your person as you smile back.

No words were exchanged. Just a smile. Maybe a look in their eye that felt like a warm brush of kindness on your soul. You feel touched, happy, satisfied, and that alone could have made your day. This person didn't do anything for you, didn't give you twenty dollars, didn't forgive your student loans, didn't give you a week off of work. But their spirit was refreshing, like a well-deserved cold drink of sweet water after walking in a hot, dry desert. It is pure, simple. clean and some might even say sacred.

I often imagine meeting Walt Disney would have been the same.   

I could just picture it. Walking into his office with a cup of coffee, setting it on his desk as he reads a new movie script, pen in hand to take notes and make annotations. He would set down his paper, place his pen on his desk, take the coffee into his hand, and smile at me in thanks. It wouldn't be just any smile, I'm sure. Not anything half-hearted or starch or mediocre. It would dance on his face, and perhaps as I walk out of his office to start my day, I'll feel my heart grow lighter and my whole being relax and be at ease. Again, not romantic nor anything material-based. It would just be an exchange, but far beyond just the person and right into the soul.

And that's why his park is so magical, that just stepping into it makes a person's day. Music helps I'm sure, and characters at the gate might make you smile. perhaps even the food is exciting and thrilling to enjoy. But it all begins with that smile, that feeling, the spirit that belongs uniquely to that park. Walt Disney's spirit is what drives it on.

Granted, Disney is a pretty interesting person. And naturally he would spark a number of emotions in a Disney fan such as myself even without coming face-to-face to him. But the cool stuff Disney accomplished didn't simply start at the park or begin at the movie theater. If you are curious enough to see just how interesting Walt is, perhaps investigate how many failures he encountered before making it big in California. He is a normal guy if we really sit down and think about it. That being the case, Walt Disney had his beginning like you and me, which makes him that much more amazing. He was a normal person, capable of dreaming and accomplishing what he desired the most. All the while he was entirely the same person, through both failure and success. He was human of course, but certainly remarkable. Walt Disney still touches lives today as we speak.

And so we ask ourselves, if just one person's spirit can cause so much happiness and joy, what would happen if that single person became two people? How would your life change if that single person was you?

Negativity is more contagious than any disease you will ever catch. It saps energy in the workplace, distracts from a remarkable intelligence and will mar beauty and strength wherever it can be found. It can tip the scales out of your favor, and make living a daily routine a challenge in itself.

But positivity, while slow to catch on, is like a medicine to a toxin gone rampant. Even if it doesn't fix all the problems, it makes dealing with any sickly side-effects understandably easier. Plus, who knows? You might make somebody's day more magical with just a smile.

So, some advice--curl up in bed tonight and think what could happen if you had that magic inside you. Maybe it will be inspiring, or a challenge to move forward with confidence. It could propel you to turn in another manuscript to an agent. Maybe you would be more positive about your job interview. If someone you love is in a rough spot, you could provide some meaningful support.

And what you would be noticing is the strength that comes with that good-natured, happy and caring spirit. More and more, you can go that extra mile for someone else. You can make something that  would be much bigger than you could ever imagine. And the more you grow in your newly founded spirit, you find a deeper meaning to life. Suddenly everything seems to fall into place. Colors start to glow brighter, words come out like songs. I assure you, you're not going crazy, this is the way we were all supposed to be. You're skipping down a yellow brick road, giddy and happier than ever before. But it was one that has been swept clean and kept tidy just for you, waiting to be used. And all of this boils down to just one thing.

Spirit. It really is that simple.