Y. Atono Tsükrü
There is something so splendid, so abundant about Life’s ‘second chances’ that arrive each morning. Perhaps it’s because second chances (or third, fourth, and fifth!) are the golden opportunities we thought too good to be true the first time around. Now we know better.
A sweet morning to be ‘at home’ to the future with reverence and reconciliation, an evening curl up in favorite chair, a hot cups of tea (despite the heat) to soothe my senses dedicated to dreaming about the weeks and months to come and how I’d like to savor them or listening to some soothing music, sipping in something festive and bubbly thoughts and ideas, and slowly letting it wonder! Reveling in them, appreciating them.
Too often we don’t realize what we have until it is gone. Too often we wait too late to say ‘I’m sorry - I was wrong.’ Sometimes we often hurt the ones we hold dearest to our hearts and we allow foolish things to tear our lives apart. Far too many times we let unimportant things into our minds and then it’s usually too late to see what made us blind. We love to revel and dwell and fret of our weakness, our negative side failing to appreciate brushing away the other bright side of it. All we have to do is be sure to appreciate everything we’ve got; and be thankful for the little things in life that mean a lot and focus on all the wonderful things that are present in our life now.
There are times when I really want to turn back the clock and live my life all over again. Some mistakes and decisions I made years ago, I regret doing so yet through all those mistakes and errors I have learnt something. Yes, it is through our past, our future is mould.
Most of us never realize just how good we really are. We think that goodness is something reserved for saints and the chosen ones without ever trying to see it within ourselves. The truth is that most of us are full of goodness, full of kindness, full of love, and full of joy. Most of us spend our days helping people, doing good things for others, family, friends and relatives, for the society and church and making this world a better place. The deed can be as small as lending an ear to a problem of a friend or family, and calling a friend just to say ‘Hello’ etc, etc. Most of us (without us realizing) live our lives doing our best to bring joy to this world, to share love with each other, and to be one with God. Most of us are far better than we would ever admit.
It is wrong to deny the goodness within us. God loves us all. God created us all. And God doesn’t make junk. Look deep within your heart and soul and notice the goodness that lies there. See it there shining bright, bring it out, and give it to the world. We all can share it as we open the door for a stranger, smile at the person we pass on the street, and give a compliment to a coworker. We all need to realize that things really aren’t that bad. Many people have a much worse life than we do.
A simple question we often come across, are you happy? I’m serious. Think about that for a moment. Happiness is not something about being happy in all of the specific areas of your life as much as I’m talking about the bigger picture. Overall, if we are to ask ourself, am I happy? What seems like a very simple question is often not so easily answered. Nonetheless, a serious thought and honesty is required on this. If our answer to this question is yes, just smile and step aside for a moment. If the answer is no, go and find out what would it take to make you happy? If you don’t know the answer to that question, happiness may continue to elude you. If you do know the answer to that question, then it’s time to take action!
Our lives, for the most part, are motion and struggle. Most of us spend our time crawling, groping, climbing, sometimes running, but always moving like the works of a clock. I know that some have face incredible challenges.
No matter what the circumstances are in your world, take a moment today to appreciate what you have. No matter how bad things seem at the moment, there is always good to be found if one looks hard enough. Those who can balance the bad with the good are the ones that find peace of mind and love of life. And finding that balance often takes a mindful and purposeful effort! Take some time today and now to take stock of your life and make a real effort to look for the good. It’s right there in front of you if you look for it and seeing it will improve your mood and help you appreciate this wonderful opportunity you have called life.
Happiness isn’t something that just shows up at your front door one day. You can’t order it by phone, borrow it from a friend or buy it on eBay or auction. It’s something we all must earn and develop. I think it partly comes from doing the right things, being kind to those around you, having a good moral compass, and making others happy.
Happiness is a wonderful addition to our life. With it, our quality of life is very rich and fulfilling. Without it, our quality of life is lonely and difficult. Make today the day you take action to turn your life into happiness. Go out and do something nice for someone today and try to do that every day. I learn that true happiness is a state of mind that has absolutely nothing to do with material things; you will be amazed at how happy the simple act of doing something nice for someone can make you feel!!
Each of us has to locate a moment in our life, a moment of special joy, seize hold of it, examine it, and let it be a parable of joy. There comes a sense that life-now, here, today-is a gift worth blessing God for. When it comes, when this sense of being a gift comes, joy and happiness has come to us.
I realized and accept it much later, after my shares of thinking and pondering that I love life! In fact, I’m not sure what it’s all about and I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do know that I appreciate the opportunity to experience it. Sure it has its warts, disappointments and heartaches and illness and injury can steal that love from the hearts of some people, but nonetheless, what an incredible journey life is. I see too many people, like me wasting this precious opportunity of now and today! I want to encourage you to focus on the wonder of this life’s journey.
What I went through, all my hardships and pain, they’re part of who I am. I’ll always feel like I’m different, and I’ll always have to fight the feelings that I wasn’t good enough, not even for my own mom. But I’m not going to let those feelings define me. I will only let them make me stronger. And I know that I’m going to be somebody. Actually, I already am in my own way! And I love life!
