Thought 02DEC2009

THE ART OF HAPPINESS
You can't pursue happiness and catch it. Happiness comes upon you unawares while you are helping others. The philosophy of happiness is pointedly expressed in the old Hindu proverb, which reads: "Help thy brother's boat across, and lo! thine own has reached the shore." Happiness is like perfume - you can't spray it on others without getting some on yourself. Happiness does not depend upon a full pocketbook, but upon a mind full of rich thoughts and a heart full of rich emotions. Happiness does not depend upon what happens outside of you but on what happens inside of you; it is measured by the spirit in which you meet the problems of life.

Happiness is a state of mind. Lincoln once said: "We are as happy as we make up our minds to be." Happiness doesn't come from doing what we like to do but from liking what we have to do. Happiness comes from putting our hearts in our work and doing it with joy and enthusiasm. Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the after-glow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best. Happiness grows out of harmonious relationships with others, based on attitudes of good will, tolerance, understanding and love.

Happiness is found in little things: a baby's smile, a letter from a friend, the song of a bird, a light in the window. Happiness comes from keeping constructively busy; creative hobbies are the keys to happy leisure hours and retirement years. The master secret of happiness is to meet the challenge of each new day with the serene faith that: "All things work together for good to them that love GOD."
Wilferd Peterson
It is more difficult to contend with oneself than with the world - Kurdish Proverb