6th Post  - Happiness

Have you ever had the mindset that you will not be happy in life until you achieve a set of goals or standard of living. Do you say to yourself that, that's when I'll truly be happy. Then once achieved, have you noticed that your still looking down the road, not fully content, waiting to achieve your next idea or standard of living. Happiness is found in the present, not in the future. Happiness does not come with terms or conditions, but it is a choice. Sometimes that choice is harder to make depending on our situation, but its still very much within our agency. Happiness and thankfulness also go hand in hand. They are comparable to pants and shirt, clothes that must be worn together to be fully covered. I have noticed that pattern in my own life. I love making things with my hands. When I make something for enjoyment and my heart is truly grounded where I am at, I am truly happy. But if I make something to get me somewhere, I am still looking down the road to find happiness.

 

 

 

 

When I sculpted this bust in the photo above, I had a moment when life got complicated and I started to look for an outlet down the road that would bring a happier future.  I was sculpting her for a good reason, but at the same time, I started thinking how could this take me out of a uncomfortable job into a better life. I was thinking, "When this is done, I'll then will do this, then I'll do that until it gets me out of this job into something more joyful. I was focusing on money to ease a situation, but it did not come quickly as I'd hoped. And so much was my focus on it, I didn't even finish her. This person was Joan -of-Arc. I got to a certain point and then stopped working on her. She than sat on a shelf for nearly two years and began to crack, about to fall apart. Then one day I looked at her. I mean really looked and began to remember how I felt when I first worked on her. I remembered that I was happy when I first started. Why?  Because when I first started, I was doing it for the love of it. I loved this person in history and wanted my children to have a good example to learn from. I then started on her again. I repaired the cracks and added more detail in her eyes and turned her head a bit to make it feel as if she was more a live. What I learned was I only had small spurts of happiness when I was not focused in the hear and now. Also, My heart had to be in the right place. But because my future was never as I hoped, happiness never came as I hoped or lasted as I hoped. Yes it is a cool bust, and I still love it, but I just had to learn a lesson before I found truer happiness. Sadly I still seem to forget this lesson to often sometimes. I cannot wait for when I can make copies of her to share with others after I teach myself how to make a casting.

 

 

When I did this panting, I did it because I wanted too. I found my happiness was longer lasting. That is until the fleeting thought came, "Now, should I use this to get me somewhere?". So what lesson have I learned from this? Am I saying doing things for others doesn't make you happy? Of course not, it was all self and what can I get from it. But, when I had the mind set, I want others to have this so it will help them, happiness was longer lasting.

 

The greatest example I can think of, is the example of the master teacher, Jesus Christ. He served others not for personal gain, but because He wanted too. It was what He loved doing. If we truly want lasting happiness, then we must understand, His way is that only way to get it. There is no other way. Everything else is either temporary, or an imitation of it. And if you don't believe me, time will tell as it has often for me. But we have to want it fully or it is as if we didn't do anything at all to develop it.


So First love it and do it because we want too.
Second, if we do something for others, we must not look for what we are to gain from it.
Third, if we do it for others, it must be because we want too, or it is as if we did not do it
at all.
Forth, if confused, follow the example of Jesus Christ.
And Last, practice makes perfect. If you fall, don't give up. Keep practicing and start at step one again..