Tag Archive | happiness

The dance of life

Jun12

From the desert sun
To a rainy clime
To a land covered with snow
It seems like I’ve experienced it all

From the restrictions of tradition
To smelling freedom in the air
To being able to express my feelings and thoughts

From a shy girl in Shiraz
Too serious for her age
To gradually opening up
And making laugher a part of my life

From relative ease
To the violent storms of life
Interspersed with sun

From thinking to feeling
From science to art
From hesitation to creativity
From black and white to all the shades
In between in life
It’s been and eventful journey

Sometimes I still feel the insecure
18 year old in me
Many times the need to please
Still overtakes me

Have I changed and grown?
I have!
Have I stayed the same?
I have!

Have I been battered and bruised
I have!
Have I been showered with grace
I have!

And what do I see at this point
In my life
As I look back
As I look forward?

That life’s challenges will always be there
But the sun always comes out from
Behind the clouds

That being in control is an illusion
That change is a constant
That happiness is in appreciating the simple things in life
In helping others
In nurturing our talents
and in drinking deep the beauty of art

From the desert sun
To rain, to snow
I’ve experienced a lot
I’ve started over many times
I’ve laughed
I have cried

What the future brings
Remains to be seen
But I’ll try my best
To remain thankful and content
And greet each day with open arms

Lida Berghuis
June 10th, 2014

Sacrifice!

Jan3

Sacrifice hurts!
That’s normal…
But sacrifice is not a net loss!
We may give up things that are dear to us
We do suffer as a result
But then come the rewards

We live in a culture that tries to avoid pain
Tries to avoid giving up things we hold dear
We live in a culture that puts the individual first
Others, come later!

In this culture
Sacrifice may not make sense…
Why should I give up something that’s dear to me
For someone else’s benefit?
Why should I put others before me?
Why should I sacrifice my comfort and ease?

The irony is, that sacrifice
This giving up
This turning away from the self
This focus on others
Is exactly what we need
To grow
To blossom
To bloom!

Sacrifice does involve hardship and pain
Otherwise it would not be called sacrifice
But this hardship will result in amazing things
Given some time

When we give up our will
Our way
Our desires
Our comfort
Something amazing happens in time
It does take time…
There is no fast way through the plane of sacrifice!

But on the other side
Is a fragrant garden
With streams and rivers
Thirst quenching and refreshing and sublime!

Yes, sacrifice involves pain
But these are growing pains

Letting go of the ego
And the insistent self
Can only bring us joy and happiness!

Lida Berghuis
January 3rd, 2014

East and West

Dec2

East and West
Like two sisters competing
For the affection of
Their father

East and West
Like two sisters desiring
Freedom
From rules and restrictions

Sister East
Still tied with shackles and chains
Sister West
Turned loose and free

Sister East
Wondering when her turn will be
Sister West
Wondering if freedom has set her free!

Sister East
Needing to be free
Sister West
Wondering what happiness lies in

Sister East,
Sister West
Together
You are free!

Lida Berghuis
Fall 2003

Me, me, me!

Sep21

The insistent self!
Me, myself and I!
What suits me!
What benefits me!

Me me me!
My my my!
My comfort!
My pleasure!
My fame and fortune!

That’s all good and that’s all well!
But it doesn’t lead to lasting happiness!
Let’s look at the times I’ve been happy
Let’ examine them, let’s see!

Isn’t it when I’ve helped someone else?
Made someone else’s day?
Showed someone else the way?

Isn’t it when I do for others
What I hope others would do for me?
Isn’t it when I treat others
With kindness and generosity?

Why is that?
Because that’s what I’m meant to do!
Who I’m meant to be!
How I’m meant to live!

Sadness comes when I think of myself
My problems, my challenges
Sadness comes when I don’t get my way

The insistent ‘I’ needs to be tamed!
Needs to be controlled!
Needs to be transformed!

‘I’ needs to be replaced with ‘we’
Therein lies felicity
This is the road I choose for me!

Lida Berghuis
September 16th, 2013

Happiness is contentment!

Sep1

imageHappiness is finding reasons to be happy now!
Happiness that depends on some distant goal
Some yet to be achieved milestone
Will fade as soon as the goal is reached
Because we’ll set ourselves another goal!

Happiness is in thinking of all the blessing we have now
All the things that are going right
All the things we may take for granted…
Happiness is in contentment

Goals are good
But happiness should not wait till they are achieved
Let’s give thanks for what we have today
It can be health
It can be family
It can be having coffee on a sunny day!

Happiness is having good friends
Friends who support us in times of trials
Happiness is in viewing trials as gifts
From the heavens above

Happiness is in finding meaning in life
Helping others less fortunate than us
Happiness is contentment

Lida Berghuis
September 1st 2013

It was what it was!

Jun24

It is what it is
It was what it was
Accept what is
If you can’t make it ‘was’

Accepting is not giving in
Is not giving up
Accepting is not fighting
When fighting does not give results

It is what it is
It was what it was
The past can’t be rewritten
And it need not!

Good experiences
Sad experiences
Make us who we are
Happiness, sadness
Part of life

It is what it is
It was what it was
It’s all good
And as it should be
March on!

Lida Berghuis
June 24th, 2013

Smile

Jan26

IMG_1005

Smile and world will smile at you
Open your arms and the world will receive you

Radiate good thoughts
Good will come your way
Be generous
You will be rewarded

The positive vibes you send out
Attract goodness no doubt
The warmth you impart
Will be your own reward

We don’’t give to receive
We give because it brings joy
Give generously
And happiness will be yours

There is always weakness
And darkness if you look for it
Why waste that energy
No need for it

The most flawed person
Has something that can be praised
Focus on that
Leave the rest!

January 5th, 2012
Lida Berghuis

Happiness!

Jun20

To see the beauty of the unfinished work!
This is the secret to serenity
And peace of mind

Each of us is a work in progress
And we are beautiful
As we are

To appreciate that transformation
Takes time
Nothing of value
Can be accomplished at once

To have the wisdom of looking ahead
to see how what we do
Will affect everyone

To contemplate and consult
Then make a decision
Accept the consequences
Learn, and carry on…

The gardener will be joyous
When the tree bears fruit
But he will love and appreciate
The tree from the time it’s small

He will water the tree
And care for it
Allowing it to grow slowly
In time

Once we manage to do this
Each day can feel
Like how we imagine
The destination to be like

Lida Berghuis
June 21st, 2011