Life Is That Easy

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”

-- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), statesman, politician, lawyer

Every morning, as I'm dragging my butt out of bed, I thank God for another glorious day in paradise and another chance to excel at whatever challenges God may see fit to throw my way. Will I succeed in those challenges? Hope for the best, and be prepared to embrace failure. Failure is how we learn to succeed. We learn from what happens. We tweak the process and try again. We prepare to teach others from our experiences. The reason I don't get too upset about my failures is that tomorrow is another chance to excel in life; another chance to make things right. What is passed is past, so why fret over it?  The future is not written, so why be concerned about those things which haven't happened.  The present, the now, this is where we are and all we need concern ourselves with.  Today is when we review the lessons from yesterday, revel in our successes or plan to do better, or make necessary amends in preparation to move forward.  Always be prepared to move forward, because tomorrow is another gift; another chance to excel in this glorious life.  After 65 years I have found... life is that easy.

“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”

-- Marthe Troly-Curtin, author

Failure is simply an opportunity to learn.  Failure to understand how you succeed can also lead to an opportunity to learn when you fail from your lack of this understanding.  Revel in your success, but understand how you succeeded so you are truly prepared to repeat the process.  Learn to enjoy the time taken to understand your success.  Life is that easy.

“Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.”

-- Steve Maraboli, author, speaker, behavioral scientist

I have found the greatest failures of my life have been those people who are perpetually offended.  No matter what I do or say they continue to push the agenda of that chip on their shoulder.  They either refuse to be happy or refuse to let others be happy.  These are relationships we are all better off getting shed of before divorcing ourselves of them becomes a sticky wicket.  These are people who don't require significant confrontation to ignore.  Smile and shake your head knowingly, then just walk away, just let go.  Make these people part of your history.  Life is that easy.

Dalai Lama XIV has said, “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”  The choices we make all come with consequences.  Good choices have good consequences, bad choices have bad ones, and it, therefore, stands to reason that questionable choices have questionable consequences.  We are in charge of our lives and, therefore, we are in charge of our happiness, as well.  Make good choices for your life.  Understand that your choices and actions can be the impetus for others to do better for themselves; you mentor by example, so be a good one.  Life is that easy.

“It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.”

-- Dale Carnegie (1888-1955), writer, author, lecturer

Each morning, I wake up thanking God for another glorious day in paradise and another chance to excel in my life. Waking up is a gift. For me, waking up is enough. What trials and tribulations await me are of little consequence compared to the gift of another day and the chance to see what will come of it.  Piss people off by being happy.  Get over yourself and you will find getting over others to be so much easier.  Being happy is contagious.  The late actress Audrey Hepburn once said, “The most important thing is to enjoy your life, to be happy, it's all that matters.” It is important to understand that our happiness matters not only for ourselves but, also, for the happiness of those around us.  

We make our life harder than it needs to be.  We live our lives in anticipation of the next burden.   A burden is only a burden until it becomes second nature, a task to be accomplished.  We tend to be masochists, waiting for life to beat us down instead of waking with the intent to seize the day and roll with the punches.  Live to be happy and be happy in life.  Life is that easy.

Happiness is just another choice in life.  We can choose happiness or misery.  Choosing to be miserable would seem contrary to life.  It requires poor thinking on the part of those souls who embrace the concept of misery.  The only sane alternative is to choose to be constantly happy.  Sometimes I'm so happy I seem like a man possessed.  Mark Twain says, “Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.”  I challenge everyone to be so damned happy, all the time, that you seem possessed of some malady so infectious that others can't help but smile and wonder what you know that they don't.  What should you know, that they don't?  

Life is that easy!  

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.