Hi boys and girls. Today is the first day that it has felt like Fall is actually coming this year to South Florida. The air is crisp and the humidity has gone somewhere to hibernate. Hooray! It makes Gommy happy to see and feel the change and know that we are coming upon the Happy Time of year for most people....the Holidays!
Just as Goms was being all happy-butt....an aha moment came into my mind and made me wonder about the concept of 'being happy'. Many people strive for happiness in their life and it seems as though the harder we look for happiness.....the more it eludes. There is a secret to finding happiness.....Wanna' know what it is? Keep reading and Gommy will let you in on it.
First, let's go to where you won't find happiness and it may lead you out of that mine field and point you to the direction of 'finding' your happiness. It is absolutely, positively and promised that you will not find happiness in comparing yourself with anyone else. Not in how they look, or how much they have, or what stature they have achieved in their career. This means that you must not compare yourself in thinking YOU are better, prettier, richer or have a BETTER career than anyone else either! Any time you compare yourself with anything or anyone else....you have lost the connection that allows you to be and feel the way God/Source/Being (or whatever name you feel comfortable using) wants you to feel.
God only wants us to be joyful and blissful. It only puts up roadblocks or stumbling blocks when we choose to grade ourselves against others. We do it to ourselves. We tell ourselves that we aren't pretty enough or nice enough.....or thin enough.....or you get the picture. When all you have to do is to be grateful and appreciate all the things we have been provided to BE happy....and it was all given to us with Grace. We didn't earn it....it was GIVEN freely to us to enjoy.
To put it another way....Think of how you feel when you give your child or your grandchild or your spouse or partner something and they show that they love it. You experience that warm and fuzzy feeling just as much, or maybe more, than they do. That is because you gave them something...they showed appreciation for it....and you get to feel wonderful too. That is exactly how God feels when we are grateful for all we have been given. It just takes us to notice....then to say thank you. That's it.
The tricky part is to remember to watch for all of the occasions that there are to be grateful for. Sometimes, we get so caught up on living our life....that we don't notice all we do have. These things are the Blessings that are given to us every day. We were put here to experience life in a joyful way. The people who aren't experiencing very much joy.....are in that other frame of mind, that compares themselves to others.....who are holding grudges against others....are bitter about their life experiences....feel their life 'isn't fair'.....and on and on.
We can also compare our life situation or to someone else and feel we are more important than someone else. Someone who has a job that we don't feel is as important as ours....someone who has less money than we do....lives in a lesser house than we live....who we feel superior to. That is a big mistake. It is like an orchestra. Is the flute any more important than the cello....or the violin...or the piano? Nooooo. The beautiful music comes from the whole. The music needs all of the instruments to make the symphony enjoyable and moving. We can be the conductor of our lives. Be content with what you have and you will not be searching for something better to bring you happiness.
I have witnessed people with so very little, having the time of their life together. They may be enjoying time at a picnic at the beach. Or having a cookout in the back yard....playing sports together.....whatever it is....they are having a good time doing it. They are laughing and having a glorious experience. They aren't thinking that someone, somewhere.... may be living in a mansion with more than they have. That is the secret. Enjoy and be happy for what you have.
Ernest Hemingway said..."Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know!" Maybe that is because the people who are always 'thinking' about happiness....never seem to know when they have it. It is right here in front of us all the time. A beautiful sunrise or sunset...a bird singing to us from a tree...a baby's smile...a tender hug from someone we love....having someone we love want to spend time with us. Wow....it doesn't get much better than that.
It all boils down to love. Loving who you are....loving what you do....loving who you are with....loving all that is given to us to enjoy and appreciating it. So boys and girls....take a minute to count your blessings. They are everywhere. Instead of complaining about your job...be grateful you have a job. Instead of complaining about your kids...be glad they are healthy and still with you. Instead of complaining about your spouse...be glad you aren't alone in the world.
Be happy people....you can do it....Gommy is pulling for you. Hugs & Mush - Gommy
