Such a great quote, and something that everyone should try to live by. I have a four year old, and know all too well that kids that blurt stuff out without realizing (or caring) what they're saying - kids in particular really have such a wide range of experience and stages of development, it's hard to know what connections will be made with any one comment or word.

Another piece of this I find, is learning not to take things personally. If you can learn to distinguish when something said is actually about YOU and when something actually has nothing to do with you, then your happiness is really boosted!

I also told him that reacting with anger lets Sam "steal" his happiness.

^^ I love this - I'm going to steal that for when I have this conversation with my kid :)