Thursday, January 24, 2008

Happiness Is A Choice

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, and his failing health made the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. "I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
Let's deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing." Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less.

15 comments:

  1. Great post. I CHOOSE to be happy!!!!

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  2. I LOVE this post!! Thanks for sharing.

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  3. This story is so true. Its one should be read often to be a reminder to us :-)

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  4. Mark - that is why you and Debbie are such great friends. It is always a happy time when we are together. Yes, we choose to be happy and love it.

    Karla - me, too! Thanks for dropping by.

    Megan - I have often told people this - - - Pain is inevitable, misery is optional. Life always throws some curves but we choose to be miserable or happy. I choose happy. I get the feeling you choose happy too. Nice to hear from you again!

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  5. Oh yeah! Stay young at heart - be happy. Sounds like what the Doctor ordered. Love that story.

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  6. This is a great post! I love it. We do have a choice and I choose to be Happy in spite of it all. It's all in the attitude and I would say that this gentleman proved that.

    THINK HAPPY! :D

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  7. Wonderful story - I choose to wear a Happy Face.

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  8. Yes, I am choosing to be happy today!

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  9. Thanks for sharing. I choose HAPPY!! =)

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  10. Beautiful! I choose to be happy!!

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  11. What a happy post!! =)

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  12. Thank you everyone for your comments. Your choice to be happy is what draws us closer. Happy loves happy.

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  13. Sis Allard,
    I love love love this. Happiness is FREE!

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  14. Carissa - Yes! It is free! I can't understand people who seem to enjoy misery. It was nice to hear from you. Your sister was at church tonight and got a good blessing. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

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