Tag Archive | happiness

Our lives

Dec26

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We all have weaknesses

It’s good to acknowledge them

But then we need to move on

And do our best to be better

Our situation may not be 

What we want it to be

But since we are here

Let’s make the best of it

Our life may have unfolded 

A little differently than we thought

But we should not lose sight 

Of the blessings that have come our way

We might not live exactly where we want to live 

But we have to look for opportunities where we are

They say, seek and you shall find

Our reality is shaped by our thoughts 

Thoughts of thankfulness bring us joy

It’s easy to yearn for what we don’t have

But difficult to be content with what we have

Our happiness is based on our attitude 

Cherishing little things, 

And not taking what we have for granted

This life is our school 

Learning our lessons what we’re here to do

 

December 26th, 2019

A bottle of joy

Oct23

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When I see the smile on Nicki’s face

When I feel the joy in his heart

I wish I could bottle it up

And drink it once in the morning

Once at night

 

The giggle, the laughter

The carefree ways

The joy, the enthusiasm

Come what may

 

To see all the possibilities

Not just the challenges

To smile at the world

With a radiant face

 

With these sentiments

Nicki overflows

Can I bottle that 

Or is that a no?

 

But wish we can

And wish we may

A bottle of joy

Is my wish today

What I can promise you

Dec30

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I don’t promise you a heartache free life

I do promise or hold your hand when adversity visits

I don’t promise you that you will always be happy

I do promise you that happiness returns

I don’t expect you not to make mistakes

I expect you to learn from your experiences

I don’t expect you to be perfect

I expect you to try your hardest and be kind above all else

Life is not a bed of roses

And even if it were, the thorns are plentiful

To partake of the beauty of the rose

You have to endure the pain of picking it

I have taught you to swim

But it’s you who has to and who can swim

The long distance to the shore of contentment

 

December 29th, 2018

Happiness

Sep1

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What brings us happiness?

Certainly not just material things 

Because there are many unhappy rich people 

To be happy we have other need that need the be met 

Need for companionship and friendship 

Need for purpose in our lives

A passion or an interest 

And ironically happiness comes to us

When we make others happy

It’s not just about us

We derive happiness from helping others

And being useful in society 

In a way our happiness depends on the happiness of our neighbor 

Sept. 1st, 2018

What we need

Feb18

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I got a surprise phone call
It cheered my heart
I heard from a dear friend
It consoled my soul
Connection
What we seek and what we need
Comradery
What we want
Our needs are not so complicated
After all
We don’t need fancy things
Or amazing experiences to feel happy
We need to have people in our Iives
Who understand us and are there for us
What we need is to feel loved

February 18th, 2018

Bitter medicine

Aug24

Sometimes we see pain as an anomaly
As something that gets in the way of our ‘happiness’
Or we see periods of pain as lost time
As a detour on the way we were headed

We don’t want to be in pain
Or see others in pain
I think that’s normal of course
But pain seems to be unavoidable in this life
And even necessary for our growth

Pain, like a violent force
Shatters the ego
Our image of ourselves
As in control and self sufficient
Breaks down
Sometimes we glue the broken pieces together
Only for it to break one more time.

Pain is a teacher as well
It helps us learn to reach out to friends
To trust in them
Pain shows us we need each other in our lives

Pain helps us better understand the suffering of others
The depth of their despair
It causes us to try to find a way to help
Those in distress

We were created to endure pain
That’s the mechanism by which we grow
Some soul searching is required of course
We need to play our role in this growth

Like bitter medicine
Pain has good results
And in any case
There is no way around it
In our lives

August 22nd, 2016

Waiting for happiness…

Nov17

If you’re not happy now
You won’t be happy
After getting where you want to get
Having what you want to have
Being what you want to be

So often we think
When I have finished my studies…
When I’m married…
When my kids are in school…
When I’ve published my first book…

We think our happiness depends on
Those mile posts
That somehow crossing the finish line
Will change something in us
Will bring us joy and happiness
Will be essential to us feeling fulfilled

But joy comes from contentment
From peace of mind
From believing in something greater than us
From setting lofty goals
From not being self-centered
From reaching out to others
In their time of need

And none of this is dependent on where
We are in our lives
And what mile posts we have crossed
We need to have goals
But we can be happy at any point in our lives

November 17th, 2015
Lida Berghuis

Best provision for the journey

Jul29

Best provision for the journey

The world works in mysterious ways
What hurts you ends up helping you grow
What seems sad at the time
Brings you happiness
The person you have a hard time with
Teaches you the most

Your friends often surprise you with
Their love and attention
With holding your hand when the going
Gets tough and
When you feel like your world
Is falling apart!

Good friends are the most valuable
Things you can acquire in life
Better than gold and diamond
Better than honors and degrees
Better than assurance and security

In our changeable world
When from one day to another
Everything can change
A good friend is the constant
That won’t change

July 28th, 2015

The happiness police…

Jul27

The happiness police…

Here in Quebec we have the language police
On the look out for too much English
French they feel needs to be protected
Or English will rule the day

In Iran there is the ‘guidance’ police
Guidance re modesty
Guidance re how much make up is allowed
Guidance re how much hair can be visible under your hijab

Is it me or are most of these rules for women?
Why should men get a free pass?

Someone said we need a ‘happiness’ police
Someone who’d stop you if you looked despondent and sad
Someone who’d give you a hug to make you smile
Someone who’d ask you how your day was going so far

Someone who’d carry your groceries for you
Someone who’d help you find the address you’re looking for
Someone just smile at you so you would smile too!

I think our communities would be happier and
Healthier if we had the happiness police in charge!

Slowing down to go farther…

Jul29

Busy times…
Trying to keep my cool
Even when there are a hundred things
On my to-do list
I won’t forget that somewhere on the list
Close to the top
Is taking care of myself
And doing something that recharges my batteries
Brings me joy
Centres me!

Sometimes we think if we run faster
We will get farther
But in reality
To go farther, we need to slow down
This slowing down
Reflecting sometimes
Relaxing and recuperating sometimes
Prevents accidents
Prevents injuries
And in the long run
We will cover a greater distance
More happily!

July 22nd, 2014