It's Not all About you or Me

We live in perilous times with danger all around us despite all our bravado, all our science and politics, all the wealth and prosperity in this land of the free called America, despite all our many treasured freedoms that are starting to look a little tattered and frayed around the edges.

One of the biggest issues is that from Canada to Mexico and from sea to shining sea; even around the world, not just here in America alone, it seems more and more we have lost our sense of family and community.  We've lost our sense of united unity.  We've become an I generation, selfish, greedy, wanting our own way.  We are spoiled. We have, it seems, gotten away from the basics that bring true happiness and prosperity into our lives, real genuine peace; we've moved away from the really important things, what really matters.
We need change, we need to change and we need to change in the right way.  It is not all about you and it is not all about me, it is about us, as a nation, as a community, as a family.
I want to share some thoughts with you, thoughts on living a happy life.

 I am a happy person though I don't always smile, am not always joyful and bad things happen.  Of course I have my problems like everyone else, health, financial, you know.  Of course I moan and groan at times about all the unfairness I see around me.  I mean really, why should the other guy have all the luck, have all the good stuff, the better job, the nicer home, fancy car, luxury vacations, fashionable clothing and social esteem, popularity.   Of course I dream of greater things, things I want, not necessarily need but would enjoy for a time until I got tired of them, they wore out or something new came along.  My life has had and continues to have as many ups and downs as anyone else's life.  It is a troubled world we live in and misery loves company and will invite you right on in if you will come.  I don't have a lot of material things in life but I have all I need and a whole lot more than many folks right here in America and around the world but still, there are times when I think life is grossly unfair. None the less, I can honestly say that I am a happy person.  There is a reason for that and I have learned to be happy the hard way.

I've done a lot of screaming and shed a lot of tears and wasted a lot of days and years trying to have it my way. Well, it's not about me. I'm now on the slippery side of old and it took me awhile, a long while filled with a lot of mistakes to pull life together and conclude where happiness and joy in living really lies.  Let me tell you right now, it is not in things, material things, money, fame, popularity, politics or religion and it is not all about me.

Individual happiness is found in the acceptance of who you are, where you are right now.  It is found in acknowledging and accepting the world and the people in it exactly the way it is; not to say we do not work to make it better where we can.  It is found in making that who the very best it can be and making proper use of the resources of the where you are.  It is found in the now, living life today, leaving yesterday in the past; it is gone, it is history, learn from it but don't cling to it and keeping faith, hope for tomorrow.

There are steps we can take, lessons we can learn that will secure our own happiness and the future happiness of those around us.  There are three first steps we can take that will assure our own peace of mind and fullness of life; and here is where it begins with you and with me, with what we believe and are willing to accept about happiness, real joy in living.   The three keys to living a happy life are these Jesus, Others and Yourself, in this order, J Jesus, keep him first, O Others, keep others before you and Y Yourself, take care of yourself and don't expect others to do it for you; Jesus, Others and Yourself; the keys to joy.
Whether or not you choose to believe in God or that Jesus is the Son of God who gave his life that we may live, is entirely up to you; it is your choice but for me that acceptance was the best and most priceless decision I have ever made. I believe.  My life, my hope and my happiness all rest firmly in that belief.