laughing jesus, joy to the world
about Joy & Happiness
Happiness is a choice
No one escapes sorrow, tragedy, and the accidents of time. We are born totally dependent, helpless, and selfish. As we become less dependent on others physically we must also shed the burdens of depending on others emotionally as well.
Healthy relationships certainly depend on others.
They require helping and being helped.
However, the person who accepts help,
because they feel helpless and incapable
of mastering any aspect of life on their own,
is in danger of nurturing selfishness into an addiction.
This person rarely offers help to others because
they believe their needs and problems are
greater than others.
Our real strength is not who others allow us to be, it is who we allow ourselves to be. When others help us, our gauge for its success is whether we yearn to help others as a result of receiving that help.
Our inner joy grows strong by learning to forgive.
We expand our understanding of happiness by mastering our unwise expectations of others. God knows it isn't easy to rise above our every instinct to remain a mammal. God indeed knows the victory from rising above animal sloth and intentionally embracing loving unselfish service to others.
This is the mystery of the Philosopher's Stone exposed. The transmutation of lead into gold.
It is us if we dare to take the adventure.