Choose Happiness for Yourself

"..and the pursuit of happiness." -US Declaration of Independence

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

What if it is a disease? What does it matter that it is an abnormal tension, if the result, if the moment of sensation, remembered and analysed in a state of health, turns out to be a harmony and beauty brought to their highest point of perfection, and gives a feeling, undivided and undreamt of till then, of completeness, proportion, reconciliation, and an ecstatic and prayerful fusion in the highest synthesis of life?

Prince Myshkin

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

Happy flowers for a happy girl :) #happinessmovement Thank you, @loeffelmusic

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

Alice in Wonderland doorknobs at my friend's parent's house. "One good turn deserves another. Get it? Doorknob? Turn?" Lol #doorknob #aliceinwonderland (at Ephrata, WA)

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

My first #UCC #campmeeting. #DaleLeamon lead opening song service. #ElderJerryPage gave the first evening's message. It's almost like being at #Soquel. #homesick #homesickforheaven #GodknewwhatHewasdoing #Godismycomforter #blessedbeyondmeasure #sda #seventhdayadventist #adventist #uppercolumbiaacademy #outdoors #fiftyonedegrees #nojoke #myfeetarecold #literally (at Upper Columbia Academy)

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

This Elizabeth Cheney #poem struck me this morning. Oh, to be as carefree as a bird. The #sparrow does make a good point. #saidtherobintothesparrow #elizabethcheney #castallyourcaresuponHim #frame #blockletters #illustratedpoem #framedillustratedpoem #woodenframe #robin #nophotorights #photodoesnotbelongtome #takenfromagooglesearch #thisphotoispropertyofitsrightfulowner (at Spokane WA)

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

Good morning :) #Sabbath #sunrise #firstsunriseofjune #junesunrises #springsunrises #sunrisesofinstagram #sunrisesofig #smalltownsunrises #train #grainery #breathtaking #yellow #orange #pink #purple #blue #clouds #itsgoingtobeahotone #Godspainting #lightpainting #paintingwithlight #goodmorning #toomanyhashtags

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

After today's rain, the sun decided to come out! Yay :) #readingatthepark #sunshineonmyface #connellheritatemuseum #connell #wa #washington #middleofnowhereeasternwashington #outdoors #inmycar (at Connell Heritage Museum)

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

I found a new hobby! #reading #bookclubofone #books #mindykaling #iseveryonehangingoutwithoutme? #jeffolson #theslightedge #dietrichbonhoeffer #thecostofdiscipleship #cherylstrayed #wild (at Connell, WA)

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

Nerium Gives Back! Three free bottles for my inventory just came in today :) #nerium #neriumad #neriumgivesback #perksofbeingabrandpartner #independentbrandbartner #neriumintrrnational http://Lari.theneriumlook.com Key in your info, watch the video, be automatically be directed to my website. (at Connell, WA)

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

The neighborhood goose. #cutelittleguy #goosesofinstagram #goose #certifiedwildlifearea #bluekiddiepool #onlyintacoma #sightingsintacoma #neighborhoodgoose #nosey

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

Thank you for the memories @wilw #celebritysighting #littlegirlcrush #wilwheaton #coolshirt #hewassonice @akbarandjeff #canitakeapicturewithyou (at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA))

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

Guess where?! #giantthermometer #thermometer #biggestthermometerintheworld #baker #worldstallest #worldstallestthermometer (at World's Tallest Thermometer)

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

Standing room only!! Nerium AD is making my dreams come true. Ask me how I can help your dreams come true too! http://lari.arealbreakthrough.com #nerium #neriumad #realresultsparty #californiadreaming #everydreamthatyouwishwillcometrue (at Ventura Beach Marriott)

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

What did we do? by Lari Anne

“What did we do? When I was looking at you, I saw our future together I thought I was clever, Dreaming of smiles forever. But what could I do? What did we do?! I got carried away. I just wanted to play, And instead I was left Holding my heart Watching my life fall apart. But what could I do? I followed you to run, You made it look so fun And as I gazed at you I watched everything you do. What could I have done? We were friends & we were lovers, We knew all there was to know about each other, but the discord in my soul  told me it was going to end. What else could I do? I tried to ignore The still small voice I had just learned to listen for And I cried & I sighed What I realized.. The only thing to do was say good-bye. And oh how I cried And tried To avoid what was in store. Inevitably, we were to be no more.  And I dug my head in the sand, But there was no room for my feet to stand, And braced myself for Another death of a dream, The end of a beautiful scheme. And as I held my breath, I imagined life after death, A life without my best friend. I never wanted to see its end. And try as I might There was nothing left to fight..for. I succumbed to good-bye, As tears flooded my eyes. And replaying this broken scene In my failings to live the dream I promise myself that I will Protect heart & mind — my very being. ..Next time. And then we meet again, You may be new, Or you may be a friend. And as I yearn for a love that grows I abandon all that I’ve known And travel full force again. Until I find myself ask, “What did we do?” You could be new Or you could be a friend. What else could I do?  My thought of love looks good on you. And so we chase our tails again. In search of the love of someone new. It could be you. It probably isn’t you, but That is all I can do…again. THE END”  copyright 2010

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

'Til ________ do they part.

She married him today. At the end of the wedding party, her mother gave her a newly opened bank savings passbook, with $1000 deposited in it. She told her, "My dear daughter, take this passbook. Keep it as a record of your married life. Whenever something happy and memorable happens in your new life, put some money in. Write down what it's about next to the amount. The more memorabl e the event is, the more money you can put in. I've done the first one for you today. Do the others with your husband. When you look back after years, you will know how much happiness you've both shared.' She shared this with him after getting home. Both of them thought it was a great idea and couldn't wait to make the next deposit! This is what the passbook looked like after a while: - 7 Feb: $100, his first birthday celebration after marriage - 1 Mar: $300, she gets a salary raise - 20 Mar: $200, vacation to Bali - 15 Apr: $2000, She's pregnant! - 1 Jun: $1000, He gets the big promotion and so on... However, as the years went by, they began fighting and arguing over trivial things. They didn't talk much. They regretted that they had married the most nasty person in the world...There was no more love. One day she talked to her Mother. 'Mom, we can't stand it anymore. We have decided to divorce. I can't imagine how I decided to marry this guy!' Her mother replied, 'Sure, that's no big deal. Just do whatever you want, if you really can't stand it. But before that, do one thing. Remember the savings passbook I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first. You shouldn't keep any record of such a poor marriage.' She agreed with her. So she went to the bank, and was waiting in the queue to cancel the account. While she was waiting, she took a look at the passbook record. She looked, and looked, and looked. Then the memory of all the previous joyful moments came back to her. Her eyes were filled with tears. She left and went home. When she got home, she handed the passbook to him and asked him to spend the money before getting divorced. So the next day, he went to the bank, and was waiting in the queue to cancel the account. While he was waiting, he took a look at the passbook record. He looked, and looked, and looked. Then the memory of all the previous joyful moments came back to him. His eyes were filled with tears. He left and went home. He gave the passbook back to her. She found a new deposit of $5000. And a line next to the record: 'This is the day I realized how much I've loved you throughout all these years. How much happiness you've brought me.' They hugged and cried, putting the passbook back into the safe.

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

I'm so confused.

How do I explain? How do I describe?

I feel like I need to go to school to help me sort out my feelings. A sort of "feeling good" school. Does that exist?

[mississippistreet]

- Loving to Survive: Sexual Terror, Men’s Violence, and Women’s Lives by Dee L.R. Graham, pg. 112

[adoptarebeatitas-blog]

I've never thought of it that way before.