A while back a dear friend made a statement that I loved. It was this; ‘happiness doesn’t wait up ahead, we bring it with us.’ Her statement came in response to a happy looking picture I had shown her of my family on a recent day at the beach. She was telling me that she loved the photo because she knew when she looked at it, that our happiness was not something we found on that beautiful beach- but instead was something we had brought there with us. It’s so true. Life is not perfect at our house, and it is rarely easy- but happy is a place we have learned to reach for as often as we can. I think my wise friend is on to something in her theory; that if we want happy, we need to bring it with us!
Imagine that each day life offers you an empty suitcase to take with you out into the world. It’s a small suitcase but you get full control over what you would like to put into it and bring with you into your day. Do you pack happiness, or do you instead leave an empty spot for it, hoping the universe will provide it ‘ when you get there?’ Be more aware as you pack your bag each morning- and try not to leave too much room for the things that you think you might receive when you ‘get there.’ I have learned that in my life, ‘there’ is really ‘here’…. and that it’s never the destination that awaits me, but instead the journey.