happiness is a warm puppy

My daughter just got the cutest little dachsund puppy. It truly is the cutest little thing, and it has brought so much happiness to her life.

Ya know, until recently, I've never put a lot of stake in being happy. The only reason I can give you for this is some teaching in the Christian church that I have heard over the years. I was told that to be happy wasn't the goal we are supposed to have in our lives since it is based on things and is temporary. Instead we should have joy because, they say,  joy is something we can have even when things aren't going well in our lives. Well there hasn't been a lot of time in my adult life where things have been going well but joy definitely had its place, thanks to my children and a God who never leaves. However, I bought the idea that I shouldn't strive to be happy because happiness, I thought, is just not all that it's cracked up to be.

I NO LONGER believe that. In fairness, I still believe that people can have joy in the midst of terrible circumstances, BUT I do not believe that happiness is something not worth striving for. What is happiness? Remember the Charlie Brown books entitled, "Happiness is a Warm Puppy", and "Happiness is a Sad Song"? Those are the best little books of "happiness is" one liners. I think all of us should be able to write our own little "Happiness Is..." books. A year ago I may not have been able to muster up many things because I was in a tough place. But I know some things that have always made me smile and over the last year I've tried to surround myself with those things. Springtime holds lots of those things for me and I can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy with the sunshine.

If you are at a place where life is just weighing you down and your thoughts are so full of the negativity surrounding your circumstances, I urge you to look for LITTLE things that make you smile and put them all around you. Soon all those little happy things may add up to one big bunch of happiness.
Be courageous! Be happy!

debbie