If you look close enough you will find that some of the happiest people you know and see spend the least amount of time alone. They pursue personal growth and intimacy through interaction with other people. They are good at judging themselves by their moral code and seldom, against what others say, do or have. They surround themselves with family and friends, and will not give much thought about keeping up with the people next door. You will find that they often times can simply loose themselves in activities that keep them busy and keep them from dwelling on the negative side of matters, and most importantly; they forgive more easily because of the happiness inside them. They often choose to have an attitude of gratitude.
We know that materialism can be toxic and detrimental for long term happiness. It is a mere setup for disappointment. I read once where people have a set point for their personal happiness and they aren’t likely to take long leaps in either direction from that set point. Have you ever noticed how sickly people can often bear up pretty well, yet the hypochondriacs cling to their misery despite their robust health. I have seen this many times! The sun has gone down in so many people’s life and yet they do not realize that it can rise again, if they will only make more effort to attain it. For the most part when someone finds out that they have a fatal disease they begin immediately to strive to enjoy whatever life they may have left. Why? Because they choose an attitude to do so; and then make great effort to achieve it. While some people who constantly fear death actually becomes a slave to their self made illnesses. They of course like the person with the fatal disease, make a choice and park their mind in worry, fear and pity.
While some people do have medical problems that keep them from having or feeling the emotion of happiness, many are simply sitting in a wheel chair outside their Nursing Home room waiting for something to happen. Heads hung low, no conversation with anyone, feeling pity and being consumed by it.
I can say this because I have visited Nursing homes many times in my life and can tell you that they are some of saddest places on earth. As a matter of fact I was at a Nursing home just last night. As I stood in the corridor waiting to visit a sweet friend, I could see four elderly ladies all sitting in wheel chairs in a sitting room surrounded by glass. One lady was starring at the floor, two ladies were sitting beside each other mumbling words repeatedly to each other, and I am not sure if either one of them could understand the other, nevertheless they were making some effort to keep each other company. One lady was sitting 4 feet from a table that had a glass of water on it. This precious lady kept bending over with an extended hand trying to reach the small plastic glass of water. As I starred at them all, I wanted to run into the room and holler out, “Okay girls, get ready for some fun” with the hopes of jarring them out of their stupor of being paralyzed to their sadness and loneliness of just sitting there without anyone to interact with them. It goes without saying that every elderly person that I came in contact with during my visit there got some kind of reaction from me. I spoke to them, patted their hand, and smiled making effort to embrace their sadness, if for only a moment. While I am very aware that for the most part these precious ladies all had some type of physical and or mental problem if for no other reason; their age; I know in my heart that they could feel and show happiness because of their response to me. Once I made the effort to make contact with them, they in turn despite whatever medication they were on to keep them immobilized; managed to reach back to me.
By the way for those of you left wondering; yes, I did push the little lady over to the table to get her water…..I just prayed that it was her water that she was drinking!
The shear fact that they were being pursued to have fellowship caused an emotion in them to reach back to me if even for a moment’s happiness and companionship. They were so graciously grateful for that little bit of interaction and touch of human kindness. They simply made the choice to reach out and take some happiness for themselves if not for any other reason, but out of gratitude for me reaching out to them!
We know that materialism can be toxic and detrimental for long term happiness. It is a mere setup for disappointment. I read once where people have a set point for their personal happiness and they aren’t likely to take long leaps in either direction from that set point. Have you ever noticed how sickly people can often bear up pretty well, yet the hypochondriacs cling to their misery despite their robust health. I have seen this many times! The sun has gone down in so many people’s life and yet they do not realize that it can rise again, if they will only make more effort to attain it. For the most part when someone finds out that they have a fatal disease they begin immediately to strive to enjoy whatever life they may have left. Why? Because they choose an attitude to do so; and then make great effort to achieve it. While some people who constantly fear death actually becomes a slave to their self made illnesses. They of course like the person with the fatal disease, make a choice and park their mind in worry, fear and pity.
While some people do have medical problems that keep them from having or feeling the emotion of happiness, many are simply sitting in a wheel chair outside their Nursing Home room waiting for something to happen. Heads hung low, no conversation with anyone, feeling pity and being consumed by it.
I can say this because I have visited Nursing homes many times in my life and can tell you that they are some of saddest places on earth. As a matter of fact I was at a Nursing home just last night. As I stood in the corridor waiting to visit a sweet friend, I could see four elderly ladies all sitting in wheel chairs in a sitting room surrounded by glass. One lady was starring at the floor, two ladies were sitting beside each other mumbling words repeatedly to each other, and I am not sure if either one of them could understand the other, nevertheless they were making some effort to keep each other company. One lady was sitting 4 feet from a table that had a glass of water on it. This precious lady kept bending over with an extended hand trying to reach the small plastic glass of water. As I starred at them all, I wanted to run into the room and holler out, “Okay girls, get ready for some fun” with the hopes of jarring them out of their stupor of being paralyzed to their sadness and loneliness of just sitting there without anyone to interact with them. It goes without saying that every elderly person that I came in contact with during my visit there got some kind of reaction from me. I spoke to them, patted their hand, and smiled making effort to embrace their sadness, if for only a moment. While I am very aware that for the most part these precious ladies all had some type of physical and or mental problem if for no other reason; their age; I know in my heart that they could feel and show happiness because of their response to me. Once I made the effort to make contact with them, they in turn despite whatever medication they were on to keep them immobilized; managed to reach back to me.
By the way for those of you left wondering; yes, I did push the little lady over to the table to get her water…..I just prayed that it was her water that she was drinking!
The shear fact that they were being pursued to have fellowship caused an emotion in them to reach back to me if even for a moment’s happiness and companionship. They were so graciously grateful for that little bit of interaction and touch of human kindness. They simply made the choice to reach out and take some happiness for themselves if not for any other reason, but out of gratitude for me reaching out to them!
I believe that our gratitude has a lot to do with life’s satisfaction. If we can learn to savor even the smallest of pleasures, I believe that we would be a happier people. And last but not least, I also believe that forgiveness is the trait most strongly linked to real happiness; it has been said that, it is the queen of all virtues, and probably the hardest to come by. May people are trapped inside themselves harboring unforgiveness that reeks pain and depression on them. If they would but embrace forgiveness, their lives would be set free. You see God’s word tell us that unless we forgive, we are not forgiven. I think this principle is passed over way to often. You show me a person that is unwilling to forgive and I will show you a person that is haunted with bouts of depression and a strong feeling of not feeling loved. Even God said that you can not hate your brother and love Him. It is just not possible.
Sweet friend, please release whatever it is today that is holding you back from happiness and keep striving until you get a foothold on the answers that you are looking for. Remember, God is not absent during His silence….He is waiting for you to get to the place where you will see things His way and not your own! Happiness really is a choice, but we must choose it; every time some one reaches out to you in loving kindles, see it as the Hand of God reaching out to you to love on you!
I love you and pray peace and Happiness over you today and let's all choose to have "AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE"…
Bren
Bren
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