Happiness, the Past, and Anxiety

"The past is yesterday, so pay no more attention to it than a memory and a lesson. Pay attention to now, for this moment is how we will live the next."

I've been answering a lot of questions addressed to me from an online site called "Quora."  Questions from folks can be addressed to the general public or to an individual who has answered like questions, before.  Those addressed toward me are usually concerned with happiness, the past, or anxiety.

The past is yesterday, so pay no more attention to it than a memory and a lesson. Pay attention to now, for this moment is how we will live the next. Be happy always!  I keep saying this and wondering if anyone hears, or cares.  The following is a synopsis of what I have come to answer almost every time a question arises concerning happiness, the past, or anxiety:

There is no miracle for happiness, as happiness is a miracle. We are born innocent and have happiness within us. The world, society, and culture, can either support our happiness or try to take it from us. You can’t find elsewhere what you already have inside. Get rid of all the drama in life, stop listening to those who would hold you back, especially family, friends, and government. Discover inside of you that happiness which you have had all the time, since birth.

Whether rich or poor, happiness is a frame of mind and a choice each of us must make for our life. It is the choice to exercise our freedom of thought, freedom no one may take from us, our freedom of choice to pursue personal happiness that others think they can take away from us and put in the hands of the government. I think the poor have a unique view of happiness that may not include riches. I think the rich have a responsibility to assist others in their own pursuit of happiness. This doesn’t mean the rich must turn over their wealth to those who haven’t earned it, but I think there is a moral responsibility for those who have “made it” to assist others to become more than they are through mentoring and other non-monetary support, like education and housing projects.

No matter what financial or societal status, life is full of challenges and lessons. We should wake up every morning and thank God for the gift of another glorious day in paradise and another chance to excel in our life. We need to learn to be happy in failure, as understanding and embracing our failure is the best way we can learn to move forward in this life and the next.

But, perhaps it’s better to ignore outside stimuli and for everyone to just make a selfless personal choice to be happy always!

I became tired of writing this out, so now I cut and paste from a cheat sheet and adjust my answer accordingly.  It is saving me much time and, yet, I still wonder if anyone pays attention, I mean really pays attention, to the answer.  If I am to rate my answer by the number of "Upvotes" I get, I'd have to humbly assume the majority are gleaning some benefit.  That, and the number of requests for my answer to their questions is growing.

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.