It seems as though from the moment I get up in the morning
until I close my eyes at night, I find myself being grateful for
something. This appreciation for my good health, wealth,
friendships, family and so many other things makes me happy,
as I glide through life in the Pollyanna mist that I call reality. This
is true even when bad things happen, as they occasionally do to everyone.
I just ignore them; or when I have enough internal strength, I accept them.
However, it is really my constant focus on what is good that carries me
over the rough spots in my life. I have found that it is almost impossible
to worry about something while I am thinking about my good fortune.
My mind does not seem to have enough space in it to handle both fear
and gratitude.
You may find it curious that I use the word “fear,” but it seems to me
that most people’s unhappiness comes from the fear of what is going
to happen, rather than the actual event. If you use the worst-casescenario
concept, generally the worst thing that can happen is that you
will die. I don’t know why everyone worries about that so much, as I
believe that death is just a part of life. The people I feel sorry for are those
who never really live, because they are so afraid of dying.
Unhappiness, as I see it, is the fear people have of not having enough
time, money, good health or any number of other things. Yet, the truth is
that you can be happy without any of the things you think you need in
order to be happy. However, to be happy, you definitely need to feel
that you are blessed, lucky, or fortunate, as the case may be. Love helps
too. Fear of not being loved has made many people I know unhappy.
Yet, seldom are any of these fears real. I know that some people with
paranoia have real enemies; but that is no reason to give in to having
thoughts about them. Rather, try thinking about those who aren’t your
enemies and who, in fact, value you as an individual. Any time spent
thinking about someone who doesn’t give you the warm fuzzies is
not only ridiculous, but also wasted energy, and possibly even selfdestructive.
You can avoid negative thoughts and think positive ones by
concentrating on anything for which you are thankful. The nice part is
that it doesn’t have to be something directly connected to you. You can
be grateful for music that you love to hear, or for your favorite sports
team’s success. I’ve always been thankful that I have never sought the
nomination for President of the United States. Now that is something to
fear! Try looking at a colorful sunset, and you will see how difficult it is to
experience grief, unhappiness, or any other negative emotion while you
are appreciating one of nature’s greatest gifts. You’ll find that the more
gratitude you have for the positive things in your life, the happier you
will be. Sit back and think about it.
I’m not myself today and everybody has noticed the improvement 17