Sunday, November 8, 2009

This Joy that I have......

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, happiness is as well. Had someone ask me the question 4 months ago: “Are you happy?” My honest answer would have been, “yes”. When I ponder this question, I realized that months ago, I was truly happy based on what I thought happiness was. However, today I have a different perspective on what happiness means to me. I had grown so accustomed to putting my happiness last that I did not truly understand what happiness really felt like. My happiness always came with conditions, “I was happy if…” It is so easy, in our roles as wives, mothers, sisters, or daughters to take ourselves for granted . We take care of everybody else’s needs and forsake our own. In all honesty, this does no one any good.

I am not a gardener; however, I do know that flowers need nourishment to grow. Without the proper nourishment - water and sunlight; flowers wilt away and die. If I could paint a visual picture, I would say that I was a flower walking around “my garden” taking care of all the other plants and although I was beautiful, I was wilting away - physically and emotionally. However armed with the “new” knowledge of what happiness means to me comes a greater feeling of confidence. I, now, nourish Shannon first. I no longer need people or tangible things to validate my happiness….my happiness radiate from the inside and outwardly overflow to my family and friends. I am a one woman show…

This happiness is so contagious. It is everlasting and it brings a smile to my lips.
When faced with adversities, I am one of my biggest allies. This happiness, no matter how tough my life changes may seem, I am tougher. This happiness makes me want to stick to my personal goals. It makes me want to self-promote ME. We, as women, need to know it is okay to give yourself compliments. There is nothing wrong with ENCOURAGING YOURSELF. This happiness does not let the negative comments about my weight loss defeat me. This happiness makes me speak victory over defeat. When my day is not going so great, it’s in this happiness that I know tomorrow will be a better day. I do not give myself a chance to get down these days, I relish in the fact that God is so merciful and have given me so many things to be grateful for…..
So today, if you are finding it hard to stay on track, ask God for one of your mercies--he has them just for you!

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for ours words you have a very deep and poetic heart.

    ReplyDelete