A happy life has been pursued in every culture, in every country, in every generation. But after all this time, there are still no set rules on how to obtain it. And I've realized the more you try to pin it down, the more elusive it becomes. So why bother?
What if happiness isn't what happens to us, what we own or where we live, but how we look at it? What if the secret to true happiness is simply the appreciation of the glorious opportunity of life? The most important aspect of life is to enjoy it the fullest, no matter what may happen along the way.
When it comes to family, we are dealt a hand and we have to do our best to play it out. Life is much life a card game; a lot is left to chance.
We blame our parents for many things in life: Low self-esteem, intimacy issues, a love of garlic; until one day we realize that they are just human beings and no amount of whining and blaming them for everything will change that. In the end, they did the best they could do.
When it comes to friends, its quite a special thing to behold such wonderful people in your life. A friend leaves a warm bed on a rainy night to dole out two consecutive boxes of Kleenex when you receive troubling news. Picks up the phone when you call even if they only have a minute or two to spare. Skips out on Friday night plans to shake up the ultimate "I hate that bastard" martini. A friend brings warmth and ice cream.
Sometimes we put friends into categories and qualify them: middle school friends, high school friends, best friends, family friends, work friends, even acquaintance. Yet no matter how we come about them, a friend makes your world a much brighter place.
A true friendship will survive and withstand anything; disagreements, new jobs, new romances and relationships, family insanity, hateful words, cross country moves. Friendships transcend any distance, any timeline, any lifestyle.
True friends are the family we choose, and no matter how terrible life gets, they're there for you until the very end. They'll stand the test of time and remain loyal to you for all the lifetimes to come.
We live in a society that is youth-obsessed, weight-obsessed culture that can leave us all feeling pretty ugly indeed. Most people, and I am no exception, are on a mission to become what is physically impossible. Perfection. It's like staying alive longer and really appreciating age and wisdom has somehow lost its appeal.
In this day and age when one goes to the supermarket, we fill our grocery carts with diet supplements, food substitutes, creams and potions, all in an attempt to evaporate fat, prevent wrinkles, and rid our thighs of stretch marks and cellulite. We cram in time at the gym where meals used to be.
Nevertheless, age happens. Not everyone has the DNA to be stick thin. All the time we spend trying to beat the clock and stick to the standards this society imposes prevents us from actually enjoying life. Being beautiful doesn't mean we have to wear a size 2 and have perfect complexions. Being healthy and happy is truly what beauty is all about.
Love (no, not money) is what really makes the world go round. Coupling is good for our mental and physical health, and sometimes even intimate lives. It gives us legitimacy, a place to fit inside a larger whole.
Romantic love challenges us to become whole the way nothing else ever will. We go into it thinking we'll learn about another person, secretly seeking their stamp of approval, but in the long run, we also wind up learning the most about our selves.
People think that unless they're married to their significant other, then their love for one another isn't official. The idea of not getting married is just as romantic as the idea of getting married. Because it means you're together because you want to be, not because you have a certificate stating that you have to be. I'm not saying that I don't want to get married, I most definitely do, but if their is already love and friendship, the only reason left to get married is to file joint taxes, because true love and devotion is paperless.
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