Thursday, January 7, 2010

I've got a little list.

Misery has enough company. Dare to be happy.

From a billboard.
(Thank you Cindy)
**********************
Oh, I know, I know. Believe me I know. There are plenty of reasons in life to be miserable. Come visit me, I'll show you my collection.

The shameful fact is that some people actually enjoy being miserable. They are addicted to it. If they don't have a good reason to moan and groan and be unhappy they will go out and find one and if their search is fruitless they will come back home and invent one.

If there are no raw materials around your house to patch together a good misery you can always turn on the news and see how much better other people are at being miserable, so you'll have something to copy.

Are you the kind of person who likes to make lists? Well, there you go. Sit down now and start making a list of the reasons you have to feel sorry for yourself. You can start with "I don't have enough money." That's a good one and very popular. Which reminds me, if you run out of ideas to put on the list, check the daily paper. It will give you some great suggestions.

Now how long is your list? 20 items? That's not enough. You can do better than that. Go back and try harder.

Now repeat after me "Oh, woe is me !! Alas ! I'm so miserable I don't know what I'm going to do."

Good. I'm glad that's over. Now about happiness: Does it take courage to be happy? You bet. It takes strength, patience, determination, hope, faith. It takes not giving up. It takes knowing there is a solution to problems, an answer to dilemmas, the understanding that things can change, things can BE changed. Things are fixable, disposable, renewable and improvable.

Don't compare yourself with people who are less fortunate than you are. That's frightening. Don't compare yourself with people whoa re better off than you are. That's depressing. In fact, don't compare yourself with anybody. "Comparisons are odorous" (sic) as Shakespeare said.

Go back to that list of miseries you so carefully made up, choose one item and cure it. Now you're one step closer to happiness. Eventually you will chase all the phantoms of misery out the back door (they don't deserve the front door.) Happiness isn't the end of trouble. It's the end of misery.

Now say "Thank you Mr. Vagabond. I feel a little happier."

DB
*******************

WINTER QUESTION
(This is not a contest.)

Given the resources and opportunity, what one thing do you want to do in 2010 that you've never done before.

You have all Winter to answer. Answers will be posted on the first day of Spring.
10 responses so far.

DB - The Vagabond

11 comments:

Linda S. Socha said...

I want to maintain an attitude of gratitude with 100 % consistency! I want to look for the good in every happening in my vicinity!

Hugs
Linda

Anonymous said...

You have described someone very close to me who loves misery. Thanks for the memories.

pacifica62 said...

There are several people who I would love to see read this. I don't think they could be happy if their life depended on it. Down on everything, down on everyone, down on themselves, down with the world. These people are toxic and very draining. They are not fun to be around. The minute I start to feel sorry for myself, something happens that will show me how fortunate I am that I am not someone else with their problems. I need not be miserable at all, cause I have nothing to feel miserable about. Things could be much, much worse. There but for the grace of god go I. Don't worry, be happy and yes, thanks DB for making me feel a little happier.

salemslot9 said...

my Dad told me
about his neighbor, Irv
when they would chat
no matter what
my Dad said
Irv would say
something better
or something worse
happened to him
lol
I didn't make
my lists, yet
but, thank you anyroad
Mr. Vagabond

Ken Riches said...

Sage advice indeed. I agree that we should only compare ourselves to ourselves, and then strive to make us better :o)

Big Mark 243 said...

I used to keep the billboard comment in heavy rotation a lifetime ago...

... part of me, fortunately a big part, agrees with the sentiment in this post. It cheers me but only to an extent. Often, I find that people that are miserable are that way because they fear what they could be if they did something about 'it'.

I don't know what would give a person the reason to feel miserable, but if they are beset by circumstance and misery overcame them, it is understandable. But how many of us are in situations where misery is an apt description of their condition?

Feeling bad is a sign of stagnation. Movement is restorative. That is why you 'wallow in misery' and we have to 'jump for joy'!

Bohemian Cowboy said...

DB, I sure needed to read this today, although I'm not generally a miserable person, life does 'get to me' at times. Thank you so much for your comments, observations and your rich memories. I am listening, and quietly thanking you for being a kindred spirit. Your comments are golden, and so is your blog.

Inday said...

No, DB, I never keep a list unless it is something important or relevant. I merely rely on memory. If I loss my memory, then I loss my list, so I have to go over with my mental list and try to recall what I have forgotten.

To sit down and list my miseries? I am afraid, it will be from end to end if I really worship the woes in my life but I don't.

I am convinced that Happiness is a state of mind, a state of the art! It is up to me how I control my feelings, my emotion ... let go and let God, that's how I do things.

List is not necessary. So let's smile and laugh away miseries. Don't be a slave to negativity. You and I know who controls it and who owns it.

It is better to "maintain an attitude of gratitude" quoting Linda's statement.

Cheers!

Inday said...

Given the resources and opportunity, what one thing do you want to do in 2010 that you've never done before.

My answer would be: I will be assertive to follow my heart but doing it rightly and be respected by... with the help of God's guidance of course!

Janice said...

2010 I want to travel route 66 to California and then watch the whales migrate in August.

Rose~* said...

Oh my! I usually organize my life with "to do" lists, otherwise I would sit around all day and "do" nothing. Guess old habits never die, as I found out that the only way that I would not procrastinate, was to make my lists and accomplish the tasks, whether they were pleasant or not.