Everyone has heard of the Hawaiian version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World." However, have you ever really listened to it? I want you to listen to it right now, and really think about the words.

This is a song whose lyrics have been relevant for centuries. This is because the song isn't about the dark aspects of the world, it's about the bright ones. It's about what could be, and I think that it's possible to achieve the world spoken about in the song. However, first let me give you some background on "Iz," the creator of the song.

"Bruddah Iz" was an American musician renowned for the way he incorporated other genres into song. He is still to this day a large influence on Hawaiian music. His full name, Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole is Hawaiian for "The Fearless Eyed." This is rather accurate because throughout his life, he was a strong activist for Hawaiian sovereignty. Unfortunately, he died in 1997. On that day, the world lost a strong proponent of happiness. His song emulated what he felt in his heart should be true.

This song urges listeners to not focus on the darkness of night, but rather the brightness of day. There are ways of achieving a brighter world if you change your vision of it. There are so many things on earth that are good, that why would you spend your life focusing on the bad? The song is saying that whether or not there is actually trouble afoot today, it should not be the focus of your life. If you are not focusing on the good, then the bad will never be fixed.

So many of the lyrics in the song tell you to find joy in the small things as well. You don't need to seek out things that make you happy, you simply need to learn to be happy with the small things in life. The birds singing in the morning, the smell of the earth after it rains, the way you see two people interacting in a unique and interesting way. These are all small things that people need to learn to accept into their hearts if we want real change in the world. If you appreciate and empathize with the small, the large becomes that much easier.

What I want you to take away from this article is this: smile. Learn to live each day as if it is your last. Find happiness in dandelions growing through cracks in the concrete. Find it in a potato that's shaped like a heart. Each day, smile at someone you don't know, it might just make their day or even start a new and interesting friendship you never would have expected.