HAPPINESS BY LOSING

“For pretty lips, speak words of kindness.
        For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
        For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
        For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.
        For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.” 

- Samuel McCord

Samuel McCord here --

When a fella rides the wide, wild country and looks up into the endless depths between the stars, he thinks some odd thoughts --

Take Happiness -- 

but that is just it:

you can't take happiness, can't wrest it from the stubborn fingers of life.

Fact is, Happiness comes in the strangest ways --

Think about the best things in your life.  What would your life be without them?

When it comes to creating more happiness in life, experts usually tell us to ADD more things:

Get a dog -- build a friendship -- add a Gratitude List.

But what about taking things away? 

SUBTRACTION?  Could that make us happier?

Mentally take away a positive thing in your life.  Imagine how your days would be then.

This is rather a Back Door way for boosting happiness. 

 Folks who do this tend to feel an added sense of appreciation for their health, safe neighborhood, support from friends or other things.

To be mindful of the good around you puts your attention on those aspects of your life

and opens your curiosity to what else positive you might be missing right in front of you.

Folks who imagined their life as if they'd never met their romantic partner

say they feel an increase in the satisfaction of that relationship afterwards.

None of us are immune to the poison of going through the motions of our life, pushing through the grind with blinders on --

Not paying much attention to the taste of our food at lunch, the beautiful trees and sky as we walk, or the smiles of children we pass.

 Likewise, it is far too easy to take the good in our life for granted. 

Don't wait until those treasures are taken from you by the changing seasons.

Set fire to the rain ...

the rain that blinds you to the hand holding yours, the love in the eyes of those around you, the music of laughter all around you.

Subtract one good thing. 

Fill your mind with the altered life you would be living, fully feeling the void.  Now, re-focus on the present.  See if you are not smiling.

Oh, and pick up a copy of DEATH IN THE HOUSE OF LIFE will you? 

It will make my partner, Roland, feel better after a 11 hour day of 440 miles of blood runs Sunday.