I’ve had the discussion lately a couple of times about why I’m a happy person. Honestly, thank you John Cusack and Director Cameron Crowe for the moment at 18 when I realized that you never get to choose how people treat you or how they act around you, and sometimes you end up in situations that you’d never have picked for yourself if you were in total control…but in any and all cases, you get to choose how you respond to those things. And, no matter what, you can CHOOSE to be happy.
Don’t get me wrong…everyone has lapses and even I get sad sometimes…it’s true…it’s happened…once…but once you’ve had a chance to work through a tough situation and put it into perspective, the time to make a choice shows up again, and then it’s all on you.
The whole concept has repeated so often in my life…
I know two sisters who grew up in the same place, dealt with the same abuses, but one is happy and amazing and the other is messed up and still dealing with sad issues. Their childhood was so the same, but their choices after that were very different.
I worked with a woman who went through a bad divorce decades ago, who was very vocal about how she was never going to trust a man again, and her bitter attitude festered there in the cubicle next to mine.
A friend came home from his mission, and I’ll never forget his first talk in which he said that Christ never reacted to things. He never did something because someone else affected him so much that he reacted…he always made a choice and ACTED…never RE-acted. Even choosing to overthrow the tables of the money-changers was a choice, not an emotional reaction. It made me think.
Most of you know, I have a tattoo. If not, here’s your big reveal. I do! It’s the Chinese symbol for Happiness and it’s on my left shoulderblade. I put it there when I was 18, out on my own in New York where I came to the huge realization that I got to choose. Every time I see that little mark of black, I wonder at the choice of doing something so permanent, but I also always remember that I get to smile and make a good choice.
I was listening to this song today and just had to share. The lyrics say it all!…and it’s got a catchy tune. Enjoy!
I’m on a high, I’m on a high
there’s nothing more to it.
We are the sea and the sky
and the blue that runs through it, yeah.
and there are some who say there are so many things I need
so I run or I fight and I crawl or I scream and I bleed
I bleed, I bleed
well, it’s a lie it’s a lie – don’t you believe it.
if you’re fine then you’re fine – it’s all how you see it.
oh, there never will be no conspiracy of happiness.
I’m on a high I’m on a high
and there’s nothing more to it
I have the sun, it’s a star
why should I refuse it
and there are so many reasons I could give you why I should be down
there’s not enough money or time and my love you’re not around
around, around
but it’s a lie it’s a lie – don’t you believe it.
if you’re fine then you’re fine – it’s all how you see it.
oh, there never will be no conspiracy of happiness.
you’re alive you’re alive – how else could you hear me?
you are fine, you are fine – there’s nothing worth fearing
’cause there never will be no conspiracy of happiness
I’m on a high, on a high
we are the sea and the sky
I’m on a high, on a high
I’m on a high