Did you know that you can live a life and always feel happy? I didn’t know that myself. Here’s how it works. To demonstrate I will tell you a story about Jack. Jack had a philosophy. He believed that at any moment he could make himself be happy under any circumstances. Jack was young and he had a lot on his mind. When Jack wanted to sort out his thoughts he would ride his motorcycle. One day while riding he was thinking. The wind blowing on his face helped him to concentrate. This particular day Jack was not aware of the bend in the rode ahead. Going too fast and negotiating the turn too late put Jack at the bottom of the ravine with a heavy motorcycle laying on top of his broken spine. He laid there for hours considering that this could well be his last day on earth. Hours went by and Jack prayed. Jack could not move but from his position he could see a strangers boots. This 65 year old man asked Jack what he could do to help. Jack asked him how he found him and the stranger answered that there was a helmet on the rode. He told Jack that he should have been wearing it. Well Jack had been wearing his helmet and a closer look revealed a broken chin strap. Somehow and by a strange set of circumstances Jack’s helmet ended up on the rode and signaled the stranger to look down into the ravine. Jack remembered his resolve to be happy even when things went wrong. When the paramedics arrived Jack was telling them jokes. Now this is resolve and this is courage. Jack went on to establish a company and became extremely successful from his wheelchair.
How was Jack able to be happy? First of all he made a decision that no matter what he would be happy. Even when there is a need to grieve the grief has an end. I am not suggesting that you display happiness at an inappropriate time. Just understand that after the grief get happy.
Secondly, Jack was thinking about the paramedics and making them comfortable by telling a joke. Doing things for other people creates a fertile ground for happiness.
And lastly, Jack was able to see past his present condition and move on with his life.
This is a true story. I cannot remember where I read it or the real name of the hero. The important thing is that you can choose how you feel and feel that feeling any time you want to. Victor Frankl called it the ‘will to meaning’.
What I really want to get across is that you can choose how you want to feel at any moment. You have that power. No circumstance on earth can take that power away from you.
