It takes time to be happy. A lot of time. Happiness, too, is a long patience.
— Albert Camus
Maybe I’m being shallow and my outlook is almost definitely privileged . I mean when you look at the world and at most of the things that life brings us, happiness seems in pretty short supply. For anyone with an ounce of compassion it is all too easy to feel sorrow, anger and depression at the circumstances not only of our own lives but in the far worst ones of all too many others in this world. Yet what does anger, sorrow and depression give us? None of those help us to better our own lives in any way and they definitely don’t help better the lives of others. I want to be able to help others and better my own life but given a choice I would rather choose to do it happily.
I believe that even in the worst of circumstances happiness is a choice. It’s not always an easy one but if we decide to look at what we have and find purpose in what we’re doing and keep a sense of humour about it (talk about something else that is in all too limited supply) than we can find that happy place and face life through it. Oh the other emotions come and pass through and indeed the things that make us angry can give us purpose yet staying angry clouds our judgement. It is also not an emotion I have ever been able to sustain for very long.
So how do we do it? How do we make happiness a choice? First of all decide that is what we want to be. Next find something in our day that brings a smile to our face whether it be a flower, a joke, children playing or animals. When its time to be sad or angry then feel it but then find the song or event that brings us back to that place. Try it. It can become life changing.
Blessings, G
“Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.”
― Walt Whitman
If happiness is a choice
why do we choose it so seldom?
Do we feel unworthy
to take our fill of joy
our measure of infinite bliss?
Has our pain been
such a constant friend
that even as it stabs us
it feels so good?
Perhaps its the drama
we fear if we’re too happy
it will grow repetitive
forgetting that joy
finds ways to renew
and the new and delightful
in the ordinary
I choose happiness
or I have let it choose me
I looked in your eyes and surrendered.
— G A Rosenberg
Destiny Calls by G A Rosenberg
Broken Rings by G A Rosenberg
