What does it mean to be happy? To be content with the life you live and the things you have?
We are always looking for something to make us happy. We think that getting something we’ve hoped for will make us happy. We look to other people to fill the empty spaces in our hearts and souls…usually with expectations that another human being can’t possibly be expected to fulfill. We think if we get a new job or move to a new place, then we can be happy. We think something must change for happiness to begin. We think that happiness and contentment are with us only when everything is going just the way we want it to, when good news comes, when things are easy and challenges are far from our sight.
But for me, happiness and contentment has always been a state of mind, an attitude. If I can look at everything going on in my life and know that everything will be ok, it will be. If I can smile through my tears, I can know joy. There’s so much I don’t know in this world, but I do know that I am the master and commander of my feelings…regardless of the actions of others or the inconveniences the universe decides to throw my way.
The past year has been a great one. I have been content. And yet, this year was filled with so many painful experiences. I’ve been lied to more times than I can count, used, manipulated, betrayed, belittled. I’ve been heartbroken, I’ve been in an accident that has caused problem after problem, I’ve lost someone I loved to disease. Some of my friends look at me and say, “how can you be so calm about this?...How can you be in this situation and still smile at this person?...How can you forgive?” How? How do I do this? Because I choose to. Because as hard as it may be sometimes, even though I have moments when I’m anger-filled, even though my heart breaks and my compassion for the insecurities of others weighs on me, even though people’s actions have made me hesitant to trust…I remain happy, content, loving, compassionate, trusting. I will always see the good in those who show me their dark side. I will find forgiveness in my heart. I will smile when the world is crashing down around me. Why? Because I CHOOSE to. Because I have every ability to make that choice…as do you. Why should we not be content? We already have far more than we could really hope for…the very luxury of having air to breathe should be reason to be grateful.
Life is what you make it...so make it good. Your life is your choice because your attitude is your life, and your attitude is always up to you.
