HAPPINESS FROM WITHIN

A dear ole friend at lunch asked me this --- "I'm not happy. Are you?"

Are you happy? A question asked of anybody everybody at one time or another. So we get lots of answers to that from friends, people, books, videos, music, movies. We try to provide our own answers too. That usually helps us coast along through our days or on the other hand leave us even more confused and weary.

Well, I have learned through my own life journey that happiness of the good kind does not come from outside of your turf. Rather it's right there in your hand... waiting to be created nurtured expanded enlarged and blazing out to the bigger world outside if you let it. In short, you draw from within and not without if you want to be happy. You'll struggle with that, of course, because humans (that's you and me and others) have this myopic penchant for misery, rather selfish if you look hard at it. Misery attracts attention and humans love attention, of any kind. We're babies pretending to be adults.

So to be happy, you have to be quite creative at it. You like flowers, so don't wait for someone to bring you a bouquet or an occasion to buy some. Get them from the flower shop. You love peace and quiet, so go find a space in the house where you can sit or read a book without interruption. You love nature, so go for an early morning walk and commune with the lovely sunrise, chirping birds, and a gentle breeze on your face. Or take out your canvass and brush and paint it. You love coffee, so go fix yourself one - bring it to the table and sip slowly feeling the warmth embrace your whole being.

Happiness are the moments that take your breath away.

FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY

I like this quote; saw it just today >>>

"Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer." -- Barbara Kingslover

Reminds me of someone who said to me months ago.....'Huy, mahirap mag-facebook o blog, kelangan smart ka at sasakay ka sa trend dito.' - (Not easy doing blogs or facebook. You've got to be smart and ride on its trend bandwagon.)

Yah think?? Whatever one says here, I believe, comes from one's history and that makes sense. A person thinks-speaks-acts according to, dictated by, and gathered from his past - his personal history and experience - observations insights and beliefs - which shaped and continually shapes him. Everybody has a story to tell. Be it light, heavy, sad, scary, silly, naughty or nice. Everybody has something to say. You've got to be your own authentic self. What is essential perhaps is to learn how to say it right... so that people don't walk away embarrassed, disgusted, offended, belittled, diminished or turned off by your piece. But instead will stop stay and listen to your stories of true joy, faith, hope, love, courage, comradeship, learning, positivity and inspiration.

The world has enough wars to keep it busy. We don't need to add up to those things which only serve to destroy peace and harmony, within and without. The rule of the universe is not to tear people down but rather to build them up. You alone can best figure out how.

A LIFE TO THE FULLEST

Why do we chain themselves to old worn mind sets, of severe thoughts that serve only to cramp our style and enjoyment of a full life. And you may ask 'what is meant by a full life?'

-- Simple. It only means that we see and acknowledge our blessings, recognize its Giver, realize our God-given spark, know and still like who we are and where we are at. Because as difficult as that may sound, that's what God intended our life to be. May not be a perfect life but it's ours. We and all that we stand for is the vehicle by which we grow, learn and become the person God meant us to be. That's what we're supposed to do. And it's there so that we may live life to the fullest.

WHAT MORE CAN I DO?

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ---- Oliver Wendell Holmes

I used to bother about what had gone past and what was yet to come. The questions always fell on 'was it good the year that passed?' or 'what's up ahead in the future for me?'

Then I learned that... i was asking the wrong questions. I should be asking myself instead... 'what more can I do?' When you get satisfactory answers to that, then you can rest easy that it was indeed a good year that has gone by... and ...that future which you seek will be right there for you. You don't have to look elsewhere, it's all inside of you to create the life you want for yourself. God didn't create losers but winners who shine both within and out to the waiting world outside. Now let's make God proud.

Okay, "what more can I do?" Here's my tiny bit... at 64 - widow, mother, sister, friend, and others more God has lined up for me to do. :-)

As you may already know I do landscape sketches with pencil, some posted here in the blog. But have long toyed with the idea of painting in water color, just for the fun of it. Have never tried that before, after all have had no training whatsoever for the art; but it always had been a dream. 'Been drawing since I was a kid but that isn't a guaranty (as most in the know would say) that something on a bigger scale other than a sketchpad would come out fairly nice or a wee bit closer to that in the least.

So a few days ago, at the insistent prodding of my youngest daughter (like I said our children know us better than most people do..), 'took out the canvass 12"x14" (she always has a supply of one or two on stand-by for her occasional dabbling at the art) and borrowed her water color set, placed the canvass on the computer table leaning on the monitor, sat on the computer chair... and began!

Well, not quite immediately. First had to have an image of what to paint. And nature was and has always been the first choice for the drawings made.... and again this time. Remembered that one wallpaper on the desktop which was simply so pretty. Well, to make a long story short... here's a beginner's first honest step in water color painting :-) Am tip-toeing on this one.. Lols!

And my tribute to 'what more can I do'. And this I can truly say, 'have enjoyed myself immensely; 'had lots of fun with it. I guess that's what truly matters. A big bonus if that makes God smile too. Lols!

Hope to hear 'bout your own experience soon. :-) .. crocheting, knitting, cooking, biking, trekking, writing a book -- anyone??

DWELL NOT UPON THY WEARINESS...

"Dwell not upon thy weariness, thy strength shall be according to the measure of thy desire."-- Arab proverb

One dreary morning not so far back was one dreary morning I won't ever forget. Why? Because this was when I felt like so totally drained.. exhausted.. spent.. tired.. weary -- like I've never felt before. The reason? Something. Everything. It felt like saying 'I give up' 'This is it. Enough!'. So what was I angry at? or of? Plenty. Plenty that spelled life. And when I shared this with my best friend, she too ranted away with her own woes blues and weariness... and literally flung her hands up above her head in utter exasperation and what seemed to be... surrender and defeat.

You know, sometimes one just has to see oneself mirrored in another person to be jolted out of something unpleasant, to put it mildly. That was a big jolt indeed. I was grateful it came when it did.

"Okay, enough of that drama. Snap out of it cos there's work to be done." I said to her.
"What??!" she snapped back. Well, undoubtedly she was the drama queen in our group.
"Yeah! We need some working on ourselves. And we're starting now." I countered decisively.

That's right. When you feel so down and out, when things get so large and overwhelmingly makes you feel so helpless and small... that's the time to get up - shake the dust off - and get back into the ring again... and punch back hard and much harder. It's important to snap out of it pronto, resist the temptation to dwell on your misery because that only serves to double up whatever negative emotions lie within. If it manages to get a strong hold on you, it might be hard to shake it off later.

Don't lose sight of the goodness you have started with.... good faith, good hope, good intent, good determination, good strength... because it's the vehicle which you will ride on in getting to where you want to go or be. Continuously nurture that desire or courage to be there in the midst of life and living doing your part carving your own niche like thousands of others more are trying to do. And if you keep the spark alive -- fight to keep it there, you will see your strength rising to match it.

And you're ready for the world again.

GRATITUDE FAITH TRUST AND HOPE

Today is JANUARY 04, 2011 .......... O Lord, Bless us with simple and humble hearts to live our lives according to You. Thanks a zillion for the past year, not only for the blessings but for those times when we needed to learn some mighty essential lessons there. Help us to always understand that You only desire the best for us. Indeed you, Lord, are our Good Shepherd.

Jeremiah 29:11 --- "For I know what my plans for you are, plans to save you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and to give you hope."