Sunday Meditation: I Choose Happiness and Gratitude!

If you're a regular reader, you know how much I like The Epoch Times. I think it's the best and most reliable newspaper on the market. I particularly like the Life and Tradition section. Two articles from the Jan 29-Feb 4th issue were not only worth reading, but worth passing on.

The first was "The Key to a Happy Life: Gratitude very quickly leads to joy." It began with the story of man with a medical condition that required a long stay in a nursing facility. When he was shown to his tiny, rather drab and cheerless room, very like a monk's cell, he didn't succumb to gloom but turned to the nurse and said, "I love it!" He chose happiness.

 The other article was Why We Still Need Mister Rogers. I think Fred Rogers was one of the happiest men to ever live. I have his quote about kindness (above) hanging in our family room, a gift from one of our children. Change the word "success" to "happiness" and you have an important part of the equation: gratitude + kindness = happiness!

When We Look at the World with Eyes of Faith...

I expect most of us remember the experience of being at an amusement park or County Fair and going through the "Fun House Hall of Mirrors." Suddenly you see a strange person in front of you. Then you realize it's you, a distorted and strange caricature of yourself. 

Sunday Meditation: If You Want to Be Happy for the Rest of Your Life......

O Lord, You made our hearts for Thee,

And ever restless will they be

Until they rest in Thee.

based on St. Augustine

The other day I wrote about happiness and the etymology of the word from Middle English meaning "luck, prosperity, and advantageous circumstances." That association can't hold up. Wealth and happiness are often mutually exclusive. How many rich people do you know or read about whose lives are a mess and families are miserable? Think of Hollywood, a glamorous hellhole filled with prosperous, unhappy people. A long-term marriage is rare, divorce and cohabitation the norm. How many wealthy people seek oblivion in drugs and alcohol. How many are addicted to sex and pornography? How many commit suicide?

Are You Happy? Are You Truly Happy? Why or Why Not?

Is Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world, happy?

The Declaration of Independence says we have the unalienable right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." We all want to be happy, don't we? Does anyone want to be sad and miserable? But what does it mean to be happy?

The word comes from Middle English and ironically it's linked to luck. Etymonline writes this about happy: