In Pursuit of Happiness

Do you know anyone who is just happy?  They have a demeanor of calmness, smile, talk softy, laugh easily, and whine little.  Unfortunately, I am not one of those.  It’s not like I am depressed, unhappy, or miserable, it’s more like overwhelmed.  I like life to be calm, controlled, and routine.  I know how boring that sounds, depressed seems a little more dramatic.

My sweet husband feels like my happiness is his responsibility.  I on the other hand think our feelings, cheerfulness, or unhappiness fall on our own shoulders. 

This made me start to think if happiness and possibly being down is of our own choice.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient and kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance”.

From what I read into this love is a choice and if love is a choice then why can’t happiness and/or depression be choices?  Now don’t get all holy on me, I’m not saying that there are not folks who truly suffer depression and need medication, but what I am wondering is how many of us suffer from bouts of being blue and cling on to that feeling to validate our own situation.

I love this quote, “This is my "depressed stance."  When you're depressed, it makes a lot of difference how you stand.  The worst thing you can do is straighten up and hold your head high because then you'll start to feel better.  If you're going to get any joy out of being depressed, you've got to stand like this.  ~Charlie Brown

So today I am going to rebel against ole’ Charlie Brown and straighten up and find my own sense of happiness.