Life is difficult. The world can be depressing. The evening news is usually bad. When I am waiting for an elevator in my office on Monday morning I am not seeing, and sometimes not feeling, a lot of enthusiasm foe life. This makes me wonder what motivates people to get out of bed besides a need to make, living, pay the bills, and put food on the table. What fills you with joy? What makes you happy? What makes life worth living? I must assume that despite its difficulty most of us love life and living. Something pumps us up, something gives up juice, and something fills us with the energy to live life. Certainly I am motivated by the people in my life who I love and care about. I want them to be happy and I want them to have good, fulfilling lives. I am motivated by my own desire to be happy. Some people speak of “living large”. I don’t live large. In many ways I live small. What I mean by that is that I try to appreciate the small things in life, i.e., my morning coffee, a cool day, a great sandwich, an engaging book, the laughter of my granddaughter, music, a green light when I am in a hurry, etc. The world at large can get me down. When I focus on the world in front of me, the world in which I live my daily life, I find more to appreciate and less to depress me. My happiness is mostly found in simple things that can easily be taken for granted. I take nothing for granted because I know from experience that all things are passing and everything is impermanent. Knowing this I try to always appreciate all the good things in my life while trying not to be overwhelmed by any challenges or suffering. How about you?
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