Memorial Day

Wishing you a blessed Memorial Day. It may not be a happy occasion, but I hope that we all focus on the happy memories we have of those brave men and women who fought to keep our country free and safe.

your actions

Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action. - Benjamin Disraeli

I really like this quote. There is so much out there telling us to think positively. I agree and encourage everyone to try it. But it is not enough to think. Our actions must also be positive. If we have something we want, think and pray, but also figure out the steps we need to take to achieve that something we want.

Some goals seem daunting, but when you break them up into smaller steps, you can reach them. And by all means, set your goals beyond your wildest dreams. You might be surprised that "beyond" is nearer than you think.

Be bold, think happy thoughts and let your actions take you to new heights.

life overall

Do you ever get frustrated about how difficult life can be? If so, look at your life overall. 

I get frustrated daily. But recently I noticed – look how great I'm doing!

Do you have money for food, clothing and shelter as well as some things just for fun? Do you have people you care about who care about you? Do you enjoy your job? Do you enjoy your free time?

I can answer yes to all of the questions above. In fact, I have an awesome life in spite of my daily difficulties. So I let the anger and sadness have their time, and then I remind myself that I am conquering each challenge.

You can do almost anything if you have confidence and take positive actions. Let the difficulties arise, then step over them to find something that makes you happy. I'm not saying it's easy, but you can do it!

darkness

Some interesting thoughts about perspective in the book “The World I Live In” by Helen Keller. The most important, I think, is that she said her world was no less than anyone's who can see and hear. She described a very broad, wonderful experience based in the senses of touch, smell and taste.

The thought that lingers with me is that darkness was not something negative for her. While so many of us, especially when we are young, fear the dark, Ms. Keller grew to be very happy there. She wrote a poem called "Chant of Darkness." Throughout the poem she repeats these lines:

"Out of the uncharted, unthinkable dark we came,

and in a little time we shall return again

into the vast, unanswering dark." Helen Keller

I've always imagined heaven/ where God lives to be a bright, sunny place. This gives me a different picture. It sort of fits with the idea that our universe is dark. When we look out above our planet, space is dark except for the objects in it. If God created our universe, perhaps he meant darkness to be comforting. Perhaps heaven is dark except for the spirits in it.

I'm not sure where I'm going with these thoughts. Curiosity is a wonderful thing that leads to learning. And there is so much in life to learn!

the pale blue dot

We humans take up such a very small part of the universe. A character in a movie I saw a recently (Men Women and Children) claimed that this made him feel as if nothing matters. He had watched the YouTube video "the pale blue dot" from Carl Sagan.

So, I watched it myself. At the end, Mr Sagan encourages us to be kinder to one another and cherish our planet. If this is all we have, let's make the most of it.

But I also believe that our words and actions matter. They affect our own lives and the lives of people we know. There is also a ripple effect. Our smile given to another may improve their mood, which can affect others they see. Who knows where the effects end? Could the ripples cross the globe, the galaxy, the universe? We will never know, but maybe.

So let's choose our words and actions to create the world we wish to see. Peace, love, and understanding!

write our own

So sad to say goodbye to Downton Abbey. Loved the characters and their stories. I'm always glad when a writer gives his characters happy endings. My first thought was: wouldn't it be nice if we could all write our own happy ending. My next thought was: actually, we can!

We're not in control of everything in our lives, but we are in control of our actions and reactions. If we work hard to pursue our goals, we often get what we want. If we run into unfortunate circumstances, it is up to us to make the best of it.

Some people meet one unfortunate circumstance after another and feel like nothing ever goes their way. Some people are unlucky. But we still have control over our feelings. This is not always easy. Anger and depression don't always go away just because that is our wish. Changing our feelings is possible, even if it takes lots of effort and time.

I work hard to release my anger and sadness so that I can move on to being happy. It often takes time and effort, but it is so worthwhile. I choose to feel good because that is what I want out of life.

Being happy is a choice. May you have good luck in your pursuit of happiness!

Helen Keller

 “I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and weep. 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.”

Excerpt From: Helen Keller. “Optimism.” 37Fides, 2012. iBooks. https://itun.es/us/PR7KI.l

Find ways to be happy. Ms. Keller did it. I'm doing it. So can you!