Sunday, November 8, 2009

I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!

Photobucket

My younger son and I love the television show "Monk." In this week's episode, Mr. Monk was talking with Randy Disher about how even when everyone pokes fun at him and gives him a hard time, Randy is always good natured. Randy explained that years earlier on a case, he saw a bumper sticker that read:

"CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY."

As the show went on, Mr. Monk...obsessively, obsessively compulsive...took this advice to heart...and...even after getting bad news...literally danced out of a courtroom and almost did a Fred Astaire on a bench in the hallway...all the while repeating: "I choose to be happy."

Yesterday was my 49th birthday. I always enjoy it more when a birthday falls on a weekend, because in my house that means we celebrate ALL weekend long...a veritable holiday weekend for the birthday boy or girl.

It isn't grand or expensive...just three days of doing the favorite things and eating the favorite foods of the birthday person.

In this case...ME!

And so, it was...God...family...barbecue...the arcade...relaxation...and, a triple chocolate birthday cake from my favorite bakery.

All weekend long, I kept hearing Mr. Monk repeating: "I choose to be happy." That simple phrase, became the mantra for my birthday weekend between my younger son and I.

The past few years at my house have been difficult:

illness...anger...helplessness...death...sadness...irrationality...threats...drama...and the ultimate realization that there are always those among us, who...no matter what we may say or do...cannot love or respect us...because, they simply have not yet learned how to love or respect themselves.

Today, as I begin my 50th year on earth...I am adopting Mr. Monk's motto for this next part of my life:

"I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!"

To paraphrase Mother Teresa: it is never between me and THEM...it is...and...always has been...and...always will be...between me and GOD!


God wants me to be happy.


I choose to be so!


How about YOU?


God wants YOU to be happy, too!


Say it...

in your head...

out loud...

or...

dancing down the hallway, a la Fred Astaire...

but...

just say it:


"I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!!"


Then...make it so!


God Bless YOU!!

No comments:

Post a Comment