The Way To Happiness

Most people are searching for happiness. They're looking for it. They're trying to find it in someone or something outside of themselves. That's a fundamental mistake. Happiness is something that you are, and it comes from the way you think. ~ Wayne Dyer

For most of us who are on the business of seriously pursuing happiness, we may say it is elusive. To know that happiness is something that we are and comes from the way we think, might be easy to accept. Yet, the way to knowing that happiness inside of us, is so difficult to digest. Because we are filled with so many information about how to achieve ultimate happiness. We came to believe this information and to the wise words of people who are more aware than us. Until we forgot to believe our own capacities. We forgot to consider looking for that happiness inside of us.     

It might be true that happiness is inside of us. Yet before we fully realize this, we have to first let go of our old beliefs of what happiness is. We must first have to let go of our old beliefs of how to achieve happiness. In short, it would take us to be tired of everything that others are saying, until we just shrug our shoulders and say I quit. I quit pursuing happiness. Then and there our thoughts be cleared. When our mind is free of everything, it is then we are able to think clearly. And who knows, it would be the time for us to hear the voice of happiness, whispering in the deepest part of us, waiting to be recognized? 

Greatness

Look not your greatness outside of you,
Rather search that greatness within of you.
Long not for people to consider you great,

Because if you do,
It has nothing to do with you;
It has something to do with them.
The realization is not in you, it's in them.
And when these people who consider you great,
Would someday be gone,
From whom would you get to hear
That you are being great?
Search for that greatness within.
When you finally find it,
There is no need for you to announce it;
It announces itself without you being aware.

My Neighbor's Idle Yard

     I have a neighbor who is a widower. And he takes not proper care of his idle yard. We often would say, what a waste. He could plant vegetables in his yard to make it useful and be look tidy.
     During rainy days my neighbor's idle yard  always gets attention; for it is in these days that the grasses grow taller. And we see almost all variety of grasses. We could only look at the yard while shaking our heads saying, what a waste, what a waste. For we could clearly see in our minds the healthy vegetables and blooming flowers had our neighbor that industrious.
     A day after a heavy rainfall, I happened to glance at my neighbor's grassy yard because of the noises I heard. To my amazement, two kinds of flocks of birds were busy picking at the grasses' seeds. They kept on chirping and hopping from grass to grass, as if they found a gold mine. They seemed to be happy and excited.
     At the other side of the yard, I also saw many tiny butterflies chasing each other over the grasses as if playing and looking for food at the same time. What life! I was lost for words with what I saw. I just allowed myself to be carried away by the sight.
     For a long time, I was again reminded of nature's beauty and the wonder of life. God always make something good of what we consider as useless and unimportant.
     From then on my neighbor's idle land was no longer an ugly sight for us. And we always look forward to the time when the birds and butterflies would return to my neighbor's yard and give us the pleasure of enjoying such little beautiful moments with them.

The Fly

     The fly is one of the most irritating insects in this planet. It lands on anything prohibited and enters room without permission. The moment we see one, our adrenaline rushes and urges us to get the fly swatter and PAK! The irritation rises when we fail to kill the unwanted guest.
     However, our intelligent God creates everything uniquely, including this super big-eyed fly. Every time it lands on anything where it could feel relaxed, it would rub its hind legs above its wings, under its wings, and even rub its wings. How would they do that I wonder. Some say flies clean itself by doing this ceremony. But does fly really cleanse itself when it rubs not all of its feet? Fly also has the attitude of flying from one place to another in less than a second. Does it not tire itself?
     Whatever, depending on my mood, sometimes I am fascinated just gazing with these tiny creature. Why, it has some abilities I could not do, like flying. Besides, flies are confident! No matter how much they know of your irritation for their presence, they do not retaliate by being irritated with you and fly away from your presence. They just stay on as if testing your patience. Ah, I guess, this is one of their purposes in life: to stretch out our patience. If we just consider this, they are not much irritating then.   
     Get Happy!

The Water In My Comfort Room

     Today I'm sharing a little bit of my privacy.
     Have you ever find comfort in being inside the comfort room? I guess, all of us do. Well then, let me ask you this question, "having been alone in this room of unstoppable desires, have you noticed any life form, except of course for some stray lizards, mosquitoes or even cockroaches?" It was only yesterday that I did. I noticed the freshly  flowing water from the faucet. Of course, it is considered as a life form since it contains minerals needed by our bodies to keep us healthy.
     Anyways, I just thought, what if water has feelings? What if water has the right to choose from where it would flow? If this would be the case, all of it would like to flow to the oceans or rivers; others with more nobler thoughts would choose to water the gardens, offer drinks to animals, or go to bathrooms to give us cool baths. But would there be any part of it who would choose to flow to the comfort room, wash our excrement and clean our butts? I doubt if there would be. Perhaps, if they could have feelings, the moment we splash it onto our butts to clean it, it would shout, "Oh no! No! No! Yak!" Spending our time inside a comfort room would be uncomfortable then.  
     As I gazed at the flowing water yesterday with all of its freshness, offering all it could give, it seemed to tell me, "here I am at your service, use me as you wish." To feel it cleansing me after a thorough comfort room activity was so soothing. And I am so thankful for the water that is deprived of feelings like man. God really has purpose for every creations, especially for some without feelings.

Flow

     Sometimes we just have to flow with the rhythm of life. We may have our own schedules and plans to attain the highest and noblest goals we have ever imagined, yet sometimes we just have to give up with these ideals and flow with the beauty of life that comes naturally and spontaneously.
      I don't believe we were born incompletely. I believe we were born with all the good things that were already inherent within us; only that as we grew, we forgot all these things, having our attention focused much with what was being taught to us. Thus we forgot our own unique beauty. Then, when we were old enough to know that something was wrong with us, came these more awakened people teaching us what to do to be who we want to be. In part they were right. However, too much attention with their words led us to forget that we, too, have what they have. We just forgot how. Then, we came to believe their way is the only way, thus their words we must follow.
     But the beauty in everything comes with our own discovery, our own way of discovery. No matter how much we broadcast and describe the beauty that we see, no one would ever appreciate it more than we do, because only us can see beautiful things with our own eyes. Only us; we could not do it for others; others could not do it for us. Sure, we need mentors - but only to inspire us, not to enlighten us, for in truth they could not.
     While we flow with people who promised to help open our eyes discover our capacities and realize our potentialities, we must not forget first and foremost to flow with life and nature. It has more answers to our questions if we but listen to it. And let us never ever forget that we are part of this rhythm of life.  

After The Storm

     After the storm we are still left quite...unable to move...do not know where and how to start life again. When we look around, everything's fine. Everybody goes out with their business, and the world's okay. Why, it is our own storm we are suffering, concealed from anyone around. Though there may be one or two who know, yet it's our own storm not theirs. They could only sympathized, and it ends there.
     Sometimes, we even question our own sanity. Are we okay? Are we functioning well? Why the lapse in attitude? No one could answer except ourselves. We know how we did our best, yet there come a point when we reach our limitations. No matter how much we try to do more because it is expected from us, there is that tired soul within unable to respond, unable to function well, thus the collapse. And after the unwanted burst follows the guilt; so many questions why, why was I unable to contain myself. We are afraid to ask others, fearing they make us feel guilty the more for showing our worst selves. Then we feel alone, so alone as if nobody cares us except ourselves. We just hold on with life because we are supposed to. We are not supposed to give up. We are supposed to get up, move on as if nothing happens. If we are successful in doing that, another chapter in our lives open. And again we would start from the very beginning, be the persons we would like ourselves to be, as well as the persons others expected us to be. If we might fail again, start again...and again...and again...  
     Ahhhhh, life...