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- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

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Monday, May 7, 2012

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Yes, YOU Can Be Happy

I often get email saying, "MY situation is different. Being positive and joyful, and creating a life of service and purpose are great for OTHER people, but I can't because I am..." And the reason they can't be positive and happy is being out of work, or having no money, or having a falling out with relatives, or living with a memory of childhood abuse, or being sick, or having a sick relative.

Truly, I can only think of one situation that is often beyond the power of being positive: Being in racking physical pain. With regards to being out of a job, having no money, and such... Once one has food and a roof over their head, the rest is nice, but not necessary.

I recommend reading about others who have found happiness while in situations most of us can't even imagine.

Helen Keller was blind and deaf, yet said she was happy.

If I am happy in spite of my deprivations,
if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith,
so thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life.
If, in short, I am an optimist,
my testimony to the creed of optimism is worth hearing.
- Helen Keller


Read about Viktor Frankl who found happiness and meaning for life while in the Nazi Death Camps.
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men
who walked through the huts comforting others,
giving away their last piece of bread...
They offer sufficient proof that everything
can be taken from a man but one thing:
to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances,
to choose one's own way.
- Viktor E. Frankl


Read about Anne Frank - a 13 year old girl who lived under Nazi persecution.

I don't think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.
- Anne Frank


May the world be kind to you, and may your own thoughts be gentle upon yourself.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too many people expect someone else to make them happy. Happiness comes from with in, it's a choice. We cannot make others happy. ...However we can share our happiness with others. Happiness is not the possession off material goods. ..it is a love of one's self. Look into a mirror and change the things about yourself that you do not like within yourself and outside yourself and then ACCEPT the things you cannot change then one will be happy.. It's all in attitude...always remember....Attitudes cannot be bought or taught....they are CAUGHT. Keep your Happy Attitude in check....and it will be caught by others. If you say "someone or something made you angry or unhappy," you are allowing them to CONTROL your emotions!

Anonymous said...

Happiness is a choice and its up to you to make that happen.

Anonymous said...

That first person up there commented the issue on the head. What beautiful words for summing happiness up in a nutshell. You are to be commended for having a way with words!! Love it!!!

Unknown said...

If we look at the experience of Helen and Viktor we can say happiness is a matter of attitude. However there are times that our attitudes are overwhelmed by circumstances and the only anchor we have is Faith. We must believe the Lord will help us overcome so long we keep our attitudes at the best optimism we can. We also have a responsibility to do whatever we can to change our situations and not only wait for God to do everything.

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