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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Anyone who imagines

that bliss is normal

is going to waste a lot of time running around

shouting that he's been robbed.

The fact is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require high degree of mutual toleration,

most jobs are more often dull than otherwise.

Life is like an old time rail journey...delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts,

interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

The trick is to thank the Lord

for letting you have the ride.

-Gordon B. Hinckley

Growing up it was always so easy for me to be happy. Which is probably just a testament to how simple I was. But it was up until recently that happy came easy. Then when I started having trouble finding joy so easily, I thought I was doing something wrong.

The world can be grim. And there is so much to be upset about. Of course it's going to be a chore to stay happy. It's an inconvenient truth (not a shout out to Al Gore, I just really like that phrase.) All this means is that you need to find the right ways to be happy. Sometimes I pretend that shopping or racing or having boys love me will make me happiest. J. Crew and medals; all we need, right?

Buttttt we know that's not true.

The trickiest thing about being happy is that it's work. There are the basics, being humble and charitable. And then I think we all need to find our own recipe. That's what this life is for.

The biggest thing though, is gratitude. Express it in everything you do. Count your blessing. Thank your God for allowing you the beautiful, tumultuous ride. And it will bring you true joy.