Damn it, I am Alive and I am Happy!

Tree of Life

Are you ready to be happy this year? Are you ready to truly embrace life? I made one resolution this year and it is to write the children's book that I have been resolving to write for the past 6 years. My happiness does not depend on this; if on December 31, 2012, I realize that I failed to get even 2 lines written, it would still have been a happy year.  Happiness should come from just waking up in the morning and finding that we are alive for another day. We should wake up and yell, "I am alive and it is going to be a great day!" Our happiness has become so dependent on whether we accomplish our resolutions or check off all the things on our daily "to do list" that we are constantly waiting to be happy or to find someone or something that will make us happy.
 When did this amazing gift of life become so underrated that we don't get excited about it any more. At times, we only get excited about life when someone we love passes on and we become aware of our own mortality. 

Over the holidays, my father became gravely ill and slipped into a coma. The doctors were not sure if he would recover and if he did what type of life he would have.  When I prayed, the details didn't matter, the gift of life was what would bring us all happiness.  He is out of the coma but very fragile but he is breathing, so there is hope. As long as any of us is breathing, there is always hope that every mental, physical, familial or monetary challenge can be overcome.

This morning, I was speaking to an Aunt who reminded me of all the struggles that my grandmother faced raising 13 children in our small town in Jamaica.  Happiness came from having the very basics - air, water, shelter and a small portion of food (sometimes less than a cup for each child) daily.  Thankfully, most of us have everything that we need to be happy. This year, there will be no lofty resolutions to damper my happiness. So what if the extra weight isn't gone by March, the kids are not sleeping in their owns beds, the cat is still peeing on my sofa, the thyroid is still affecting my health, and by missing half of the "mommy and me" events at the kids school, it is confirmed that there is really no super in this mommy. I am still getting up every morning and claiming my happiness and so should you! While it is nice to make resolutions and envision a perfect life, it shouldn't lessen our appreciation for the greatest gift that we have been given. It is ok to wake up every morning and say, "Damn it or darn it :-), I am alive and I am happy!"

Happy New Year to all my wonderful friends who support this website! I wish you a spark of happiness every morning, good health in mind, body and spirit and all the basic necessities to live a full and happy life. Keep the "happy" in Happy NewYear today and everyday.