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Dear Reader,
In 20 minutes I'm supposed to be interviewed by an author who's writing a book about happiness. The author's been reading at the book club for a couple of weeks and from reading my column, he seems to think I'm a happy person. Normally I would agree with him. But right now, this very minute, I'm still gnarling and snarling about a business bump in the road that happened yesterday. Part of me wants to continue feeling annoyed, but this author isn't dialing in all the way from Australia to hear a grumpy woman. He wants to experience the happy side of me and frankly that's what I'd like to experience this morning, too. But I'm not really sure how I'm going to find "happy" in twenty minutes.
My friend Linda always reminds me that happiness is a choice. The first time she made that comment to me, I told her I agreed. But secretly I dismissed it as one of those quaint little sayings that's nice to hear, but doesn't really work in the real world.
But ever since this author asked for an interview, I've been examining my own happiness and I'd have to say that I agree with Linda. She's right. Happiness is a choice and when I think about it, I do make that choice every day. Sometimes happiness isn't the route I choose, but most days I decide I'm going to work on being happy.
Work on being happy. It sounds like another entry on my "to-do" list and it is. Choosing to be happy, just like brushing my teeth, is something I have to attend to daily.
When I'm having trouble finding happiness, like I am this morning, I concentrate on happy memories. They're little things, like when I came home from the hospital after our son was born, my husband turned our living room into a temporary bedroom. He set up our bed and mattress in the living room, so I wouldn't have to climb the stairs. Or the birthday party my son and daughter-in-law gave me last year. My mother had passed away two weeks earlier and they wanted to make my birthday special. Hats, horns, streamers, a cake, presents and even a pinata was hanging from their high ceiling. We finally whacked it apart on the tenth swing.
The clock is ticking, it's almost time for the author to call and I'm happy to report...I'm feeling happy.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com
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