Happiness and Creation

This New Year, I'd like to believe that I have been a more positive person than usual and that whatever challenges I faced this year, I worked harder on being part of the solution.

I had a bad start to 2006, starting first with the not-so-great year I had in 2005, though by the middle of the year I had recovered my stride and started to work with more energy. However, I find that I'm the thrall of these "energy pockets." I really need to be more consistent in the way I use my energy. Or, if I'm going to slump, it will be from "top-notch" to "good" instead of "good enough" to "really bad."

That is the probably the only resolution worth keeping, though working at a specific health goal would be good. I'd spare myself the hypocrisy of setting a non-existent target, but when I do find a good one, I'll stick to achieving it for the rest of the year.

Also, in keeping with the principle of "like attracting like" I will turn my thoughts to things that make me happy. The purpose of creation is to expand and evolve the universe to a higher state --- and our joy and happiness is critical to that expansion and evolution, even as our suffering and pain refines and shapes us to fully appreciate the wonder of our lives.

I'd like to hark back to the most recent happiness list I wrote in January last year.

And on to the new list - Happiness is:

• Learning something new that kids/teenagers only do (being hip with the kids is still cool)
• Eating something which has been lovingly prepared for you (no matter how horrible it tastes)
• Freeing your underwear from the stickiness of your crack
• Getting up in the morning without a headache or creakiness in the joints
• Hearing that once-favorite song you had with your ex and finding yourself laughing over it
• FINALLY receiving that long-awaited promotion
• Treading the tightrope in a real difficult negotiation and getting through it
• Being complimented on how you look better now that you've gotten old (er, mature)
• De-clawing yourself and seeing all those shavings go down the trash can
• The sights and smells of your favorite restaurant
• Making a stupid gamble and then seeing it pay off
• Burying a long jumper from half-court
• The tight embrace of someone you love to keep you warm through the night.