Meth: a Ticking Timebomb Gone Viral

What Makes YOU Happy? Are You Happy? And if not, why? Part 2

Twenty-four hours have gone by, and so far, only one person (privately) has put forth any suggestions on what it is that might make us happier.

So, I asked this somewhat difficult question to a person I have the utmost respect and faith in...my mom. She rushed her initial answer. She's in so much pain with her arthritic knees and immediately said, "New knees." I pointed out to her that at 87, she would have to undergo at least two major surgeries and many hours of anesthetic, which in older people is a high-risk proposal...and then followed by months of rehabilitation and physio. She then changed her mind about this choice.

I pointed out to her, as I should have to anyone reading Part I, that this thing we think will bring us happiness needs to be something within the realms of possibility and not something beyond our capabilities or technological reach. So, she sat thoughtfully for a few moments and said, "Happiness comes from within...it is a choice we make. Circumstances do play a part, but on the whole, a person needs to love who they are, or they will never find happiness."

We as a society certainly do underestimate the wisdom of the older people in our communities (I could have said 'the elderly', but for some unknown reason, she hates that term...so it is omitted for this reason). So, from what my wise old mom says, happiness is there for us all to embrace, and all we have to do is look in the mirror and love the person we see. Be satisfied and accepting of who and what we are.

Easy right?

Well, we all know life is complex, and simple answers to complex questions rarely fit. But is it really that hard? Is it too much to ask for us to give ourselves this gift of love and acceptance? Or do we CHOOSE to be critical...to be harsh...to hate what and who it is we see reflected back at us?

Answers have an annoying way of creating more questions...which is why I prefer to ask questions rather than solve them. There needs to be a balance...we don't have to love what we have done in the past, but we do need to forgive ourselves for them (thank you, Hummingbird, for pointing out this wisdom to me). We may not like our physical appearance, but we do need to love the person within the body we have been given. And, if we find our body image is causing us issues, there are ways we can change, which will help us not just mentally, but physically as well.

If we answered that we are, in fact, not happy...or that we would like to have more happiness in our day to day lives than we do right now...it requires you to make changes, which can be a difficult thing to accomplish and deal with. Humans are creatures of habit, but if these habits are causing us issues, then we, and we alone must take on the responsibility for making the adjustments needed, so we may find what it is my mom says it takes to find real happiness..to truly love who we are.