Happiness...

This is something that has been on my mind quite a bit lately. I have many people in my life who have struggled or are struggling through some tough and stressful times. I think of them often. In my quest to find the right balance between my roles as woman, wife and mother I think of how to find the happiness that I desire. I had heard so much about Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat, Pray Love that I just needed to read it. I borrowed it from my mom and enjoyed it so much. There is a paragraph in there that has resonated with me since I read it. Here is goes:

" I keep remembering one of my Guru's teachings about happiness. She says that people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't, you will leak away your innate contentment. IT's east enough to pray when you're in distress but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments."

This has held my heart for awhile and been finding its home. I often sit at the end of the day and wonder where has it gone and what have I really accomplished. It is on the days when I make the conscious effort to be present to my kids, my hubby, my friends, and myself that I feel true contentment. I know that I did my job to the best of my abilities and made a difference in those lives that I love. I often forget, but no one can make me angry, no one can make me sad, no one can hurt my heart; I let them do those things to me. I allow the negativity into my life, I can do my best to take it out. Making my kids smile makes my heart smile. Taking a moment for myself helps everyone in the family.

I can not sit back and wait for things to happen in my life. I need to actively pursue them. Those individuals in my life who have overcome mountains of obstacles, have done exactly that. They saw what would make them happy and made it happen for themselves. Life is going to happen, it is our choice as to how we are going to live that life. How are we going to affect those around us. What footprint are we going to leave on the world. In our busy day to day lives, it is easy to forget the immense power we have in our own lives. These are just some of the thoughts floating around in this crazy head of mine, thanks for letting me process them in this space....