A Few Thoughts About Life and Happiness

What a wonderful life I’ve had!  I only wish I’d realized it sooner.  – Colette

This morning, it fell upon me to wake up my youngest daughter (Stephany) for a dentist appointment. Why, you may ask, would this be such a terrifying prospect?

1. Steph hates for her sleep to be disturbed.
2. Steph hates mornings.
3. Steph hates, hates, hates dentists.

When the time came for me to awaken the diminutive terror, I was in the middle of a Twitter Direct Message conversation with my oldest daughter (Emily). I told her, “I just knocked on her bedroom door and yelled ‘STEPH!’ It won’t be long now….. I’ve lived a good life.”

Though it was all in fun, I did get a lump in my throat when the bedroom door opened. I could hear eerie, prophetic music as my own horror scene played out.

Later, I began thinking about the phrase, “… a good life.”  As I thought over my life, with a procession of beautiful, much loved faces (humans, cats, dogs, birds…) filling my thoughts, I realized that “a good life” doesn’t even come close.  It’s been… and is, since Steph has seen fit to allow me to live…. an extraordinary life.  A life that has been such an adventuresome, amazingly fun  joy ride that I’m left pondering only one question, “Why have I ever complained… about anything?”

At the risk of blowing sunshine up your butt (not that I’m above that sort of thing),  I think we should often pause  to think about how amazing our life is. Why not daily?!

When my phrase, said in jest, made me think about my wonderful life and all of my loved ones – it sort of set the tone for my entire day.  What a way to begin your day! Every now and then I think we all need to remind ourselves of how much we love our life. Fall a little more in love with it each day.

When all’s said and done, never (ever, ever, ever, ever) let it be said that you took your life, or anyone in your life for granted.

Focusing on the positive things in life, your loved ones, and your blessings is the golden key to happiness.  We all have things we wish were different, but focusing our thoughts and energies on them is a recipe for disaster.  For example, yesterday I was setting our dining room table for our Easter meal. I have to say, it looked more colorful than any flower garden I’ve ever seen.  I couldn’t help thinking how much I wished we had a new (can you say BIGGER) dining room table and a few more chairs.  Our family of five has grown, thanks be to God, and happens to include a bunch of arms and legs! As the house filled with the aromas of freshly baked yeast rolls and ham, I sort of kicked myself for not doing something about this table and chairs situation by now.  After all, I promised myself last Christmas I’d take care of it by the next holiday.

Ah, the best laid plans…

Funny thing, though, once the ten of us were gathered around the small table (and had rolled in two computer chairs), I didn’t see a little table when I looked around the room. I just saw people who make my very world go around and my heart skip a beat.  It was one of the best holidays we’ve ever had – table be danged.

A lot of happiness has to do with where you look – where you allow your eyes to rest.  We’re faced with this decision every single day. We can look at what we think is “missing” or isn’t quite “perfect,” or we can zero in on the beautiful things we wouldn’t change for anything in the world.  When in doubt, always go with the one that’ll leave you smiling.

Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.  – William Faulkner