least

I got the following in an email today and wanted to share it.



This is AWESOME ... something we should all remember.

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.
Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.
I am still depositing..
'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

"Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees,
you're in the perfect position to pray."

LaFemme

Thanks least! Bump

ReadyAndAble

Wow. That really is the way to end the night. Thank you, least!

katie44

Thankyou -Least, I think I will print this one off and share it with friends.

Seren

Least, this is just wonderful!!!! Thank you so much!

Anna

Thanks, Least!

I think that when we know that we can choose happiness, it's an enormous breakthrough.

For so many years, I kept waiting for happiness to find me, and I looked in all the wrong places.

gabagool

Hi, Ive just joined.

Its funny, because this "happiness is a choice"...has a lot to do with my problems and my drinking.

I DESPERATELY want to be happy.

I really believe that a person can will themselves to be happy.

Can ANYONE help with ANY info on books, programs, videos..ANYTHING that can teach me to be like this fine gentleman in the opening post.

I am envious of him. He sounds like a wonderful man.

Thanks for a great story.

Lionne

Thanky a Lot, That's a great story least! It made my day Happiness is really something tghat we can cultivate, and the best thing is, it can be contagious too!

And welcome to SR, gabagool! Glad you found us! Searching and reading around the forums is a good start to det to know the forum. If you want, you can also introduce yourself in an own new thread too, that way more peole will read it and welcome you. There's a lot of supportive people around. EDIT: I've only seen now seen you aready did that

Kjell

I heard this the other day at an AA meeting and it rings true.

You often hear people say "It's gonna be ok" or "it'll work out for the best".

...but we actually should say...

"It is ok". or "it is working out for the best".

I waited for far too long for (fill in the blank) to make me happy. Everytime I got (fill in the blank) I usually then wanted more or a different (fill in the blank).

I'm not waiting around anymore.

This is it. This is life. This is who you are.

Might as well accept it, enjoy it, and reach for the stars.

Kjell

Triskal

Where do I get a copy?

nogard

thanks least, today I am happy with my lot

least

Copy and paste it and email it to yourself.

jamdls

Thank you for this post, touching story. I was a very depressed individual most of my life and many years ago my oldest sister sent me a book titled "Happiness is a choice", I promptly put the book in the bottom of a drawer as I thought that was a crock of sh*t....besides I was too busy getting wasted to read. During the long solitary nights and weekends during my first year of sobriety I came across the book, funny I had never thrown it away, and I read it and it rang very true, happiness IS a choice, and without the depressant of alcohol flowing through me I was free to make that choice. This is a lovely reminder this morning (when I've been up since 3 am cause my back aches and I want to b*tch and moan...) that Happiness is a choice I can always make no matter what ails me.