I talked a lot (a lot) about happiness this week. Does it exist? Is it important? What does it mean?
I said I'm not going for happiness, that it isn't on my list. It's true that it has never seemed important as a 'goal' or a state of being to me. There are so many other things that need taking care of before I start to wonder whether I'm happy or not. But in truth, the taking care of the 'other things' seems to be enough to always get me there.
I cannot lie, I'm a happy sort of person and always have been. But to me it's not a state of mind, it's a state of 'is'. For me happiness seems to be what's left when the things that need taking care of are cared for.
Was I born this way? Did I learn it through my parent's wise words as a child? Did I just choose? I may never know. But what I do know is that for many, it's just the opposite. No matter how many boxes they tick or pursuits they complete or times they ponder, happiness lurks under shadow and won't be found. Knowing this pulls me up and reminds me that I can't be trite about happiness and I mustn't take it for granted.
So, this week I'm grateful for...
190. Happiness - it shines within me. It is never far.
191. Searching - on days and weeks when happiness decides to play hide and go seek and makes me count to 1,000,000 before I can even look for it, I will search and search and I won't give up.
192. Certainty - because no matter what, I know that I will eventually find it and is this certainity that we know as optimism that keeps a person truly happy.
So, what's making you smile today? Add your post to the list below (and please, we love you, but it really does matter that your post is a Grateful one and not just a random) and pretty-please add a link back to this linky. Then pop over to visit other bloggers who are spreading a little sunshine.
[Image kkathrynanna]