Inspirational Short Story - Anxiety Or Faith

***Every tomorrow has two handles.***

***We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety***

***or the handle of faith.***

***-- Henry Ward Beecher***
Once there was a boy who always looked on the bright side and always expected the best. He expected to like brussels sprouts before he had ever tasted them, for instance, and to like his teacher on the first day of school. Because he had such a sunny outlook on things, he was rarely disappointed. One Christmas morning the boy and his brother awoke to find many presents. All but one small one were for the boy's brother. The brother opened his gifts with glee -- a train set, a toy robot, a cowboy outfit, even his own TV. Through all this, the boy smiled expectantly, confident the contents of his small box would equal the splendor of his brother's gifts. When it was his turn he ripped the box open to find only a pile of hay. The boy clapped his hands with joy and ran immediately to the backyard. "Yippee!" he cried. "I got a pony!"

To be happy means to be free,

not from pain or fear,

but from care or anxiety.

-- W. H. Auden

Inspirational Short Story, Female Fantasy Art, Relaxing Music

The ancient meaning of "happy" comes from "hap," or chance -- as in mis-hap, or hap-pening.

Happy meant fortunate or lucky, and we still call people happy who manage to turn life's unpredictability to their advantage.

Could happiness be a matter of attitude?

If we persist in calling our cups half full instead of half empty, if we revalue setbacks as opportunities, aren't we behaving happily?

Happiness of attitude is like a muscle: use strengthens it.

Whatever happens to us, we should be determined to meet it positively.

Happiness can't protect us from life's woes, but it can ensure that we won't double those woes by worry or regret.

We can't control other people or events; all we're responsible for is our own behavior.

The decision to behave happily could change our life.

_________

10/20/2024

Some of the lines, bars & banners by vikimouse at The New Mousepad (dead link 2009)/font>