Friday, January 14, 2011

The Past Is Over

The past is over
      the wisdom is won
           the gratitude remains
                 the way is clear.
                                             Begin Again.

We block our growth in soul and wisdom by harboring grudges, regret and resentment.  We remind ourselves of our past imperfections as a kind of dysfunctional monitor to keep us in our place and away from the power of our fullness.  Forgiveness, among many things, is the willingness to give up the hope of a better past.  Let it go.  Embrace the present.  Go on from here.
                                   

Monday, January 10, 2011

How Do You Measure Happiness?

My ears perked up when I heard a question raised on a recent radio news story.  “How do you measure happiness?”  I gathered studies are being launched to measure happiness in various cultures and countries.  The response offered in this short news clip was to research a person’s job, home life and health.  My initial response was quite different. You measure happiness, I thought, by a sense of well- being in your life.  It is attitude, not circumstance,  that solidifies happiness.  Happiness is a choice, not a chance.
So, then, if it is a choice, how do we cultivate happiness?  There are, of course, as many formulae for happiness as there are people.  Let me offer one.  Attention…Intention…Extension.
First, we foster gratitude and pay attention to it.  We notice the gifts that each moment offers.  When we pay attention to what is good in our lives, we increase its presence in our consciousness.  This nurtures our sense of well -being which then takes root and grows.  When we’ve centered ourselves in gratitude , then our choices begin to resonate with the good life.  To cultivate happiness we resolve to increase the circumstances and opportunities that bring about our well being.  This calls for an inventory of mind, body and spirit and the intention toward wellness.  This cannot happen in a vacuum, but must be lived in our relational lives.  So we find communities where we can grow and engage our happiness.  We extend ourselves to others, both familiar and new,  to keep a flow of new energy about us and an ever expanding experience of the blessings in and of our lives.  We extend by sharing our wisdom, creating ways to exercise our gifts and serve others when called to contribute.  And the wonderful resonance of happiness is its desire to be spread.  It naturally follows that we then encourage those we meet and know of to come to wellness.
May you know the root of all happiness in your ways and walking.
Blessings Be,  Rev. Lisa
(this column will appear in the february edition of the UUFHC newsletter)