Monday, April 21, 2008

Thoughts On Happiness...

This week I thought I'd write about happiness. The older I get, the more complicated life gets. It's hard sometimes to reconcile with the fact that life is rough and tiring. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by it all.

Jobs. Bills. Family responsibilities. House maintenance. Lawn maintenance. Errands. Extracurricular involvement. I never seem to feel totally caught up.

Oh well, that's life. Right?

I think that life can get better as you get older, even if it gets more complex. I've found in my own life that I must prioritize and focus on what I have accomplished, rather than what I have yet to accomplish.

My wife and I do daily clutter-control. This allows us to not feel overwhelmed by chores at the end of the week. We go through our mail every day, quickly sending junk mail to its final resting place - the recycling basket. We take time to take walks and talk, which is very therapeutic for me. We make time to read and to watch a little television together.

Life is complex. The older you get, the harder it seems to be. But that's not the whole story. I always have something that I'm looking forward to, whether it's eating out at a new restaurant over the weekend or a mini-vacation next month. When I focus on what I've accomplished, I normally feel really good. I feel productive instead of lazy. It's important for us all to take time to reflect on goals met and hopes for the future. It's also my belief that some daily quiet time with God is a very healthy way to put one's life in the right perspective.

Good luck to everybody, 'cause we're all in this same boat called "life".