Writing on the fly, not thought out ahead of time, prompted by Brian's morning piece, and his comment on Carol's lovely thoughts this morning:

Happiness is not a choice. Happiness is an emotion, and we don't choose our emotions. We choose what we do, not what we feel.

Happiness is a result, a side effect; it follows action. "I choose happiness today," powerful words, of course. But it is the saying of the words and the motion which results that leads to happiness.

Happiness is transient. Fleeting. Without sadness, happiness would have no meaning. Emotions are cyclical, dynamic, as predictable as the tide yet as unpredictable as the individual waves swirling toward the shore.

Happiness can not be bought, nor can it be forced, manufactured, synthesized. One can not point one's boat toward happiness and then sail there. It is not a destination.

Happiness is always in here waiting to be felt. And fear, too. Is fear a choice? No. Acting from a center of fear, however, is. All events are intrinsically neutral, devoid of "meaning." It's how we sense them, classify them, then interpret them that leads to feelings. 

I do know what Brian means, I think. And I empathize with Carol's words, "Enough with depression." Yeah. Already.

Just a scrap of momentary thought here. The words on the scroll are good words. Powerful not in and of themselves, though, but empowering through the act of reading and speaking them.

Have a happy day!