If I had a better job
If I had a better house
If I had a better spouse
If I had better children
Or just a better car
I would be a better person
I will be happier than I am.

How often do we feel this way or hear people think they would have been happier if their lives were different? As my parents would say, “If you cannot be happy with a cent, a million dollar won’t impart what you don’t already have.” If you have joy in you, growth and wealth will only add to it. If you are a sad person, it doesn’t matter whatever is added to your life, sadness will continue to be your lot. From the story of poor happy children to rich miserable folks, it is obvious that happiness is not about what we have or lack. It is a state of the mind. Happiness is how we choose to see and live life.

I had opportunities to visit an elderly residence for a while because a family member was living there at the time. I learned: we don’t realize what we have done to ourselves until we are old and can no longer pretend to be what we are not to impress or please anybody. Then we become what we have nurtured for the years of our lives. Those who are naturally happy fellows continue in their merry making even though impaired by medical conditions. Those who have no joy in them scare away everyone who comes around then sit back and complain that nobody visits. A joyless life is scary, both to live and to associate with.

Stop blaming those who did and didn’t do as you expected. Stop blaming things and conditions that didn’t work your way. We may not be able to afford some things in life, but it costs nothing to be happy. It is the cheapest virtue to enjoy. Happiness is a choice we have to make no matter what happened, what is happening, and what will not happen. There will always be more than enough reasons to be sad and mean. There may never be enough reasons to be joyful but guess what? We can still choose to be happy anyways. We can still be happy if we want to, irrespective of what is happening to and for us or not. Today and beyond, may we choose to be happy no matter what.

Blessings
Glory!