I Choose Happy

I caught glimpse of her across the room.  And chills went down spine.  A little tear formed in my eye.  In admiration.  Complete admiration for that woman.  Because I thought about the trials she had been through in her life.  Horrific experiences no one should ever, ever face.  Seeing her with an enormous smile spread across her face with laughter easily escaping gave me chills.  Knowing her happiness is not simply an act put forth to portray the appearance of being alright, but that she is truly happy, put a little tear in my eye.  How does someone rise above the terrible and make the choice to not let it change who they are?  How does someone not become a bitter and angry soul wandering through life without happiness?  How does someone move on and heal with such grace? 

How did that woman rise above the unthinkable and find herself back?  And more than anything, how did she find the strength to forgive? 

And as I sat there watching her, I realized once again...life is a choice.  One tiny choice after big choice after enormous choice.  

 

Because really, the only person we can ever control is ourselves.  When I look back at my life, I want to see that I chose happy.  I want to look back at a life full.  FULL.  Full of fun and ugly laughing and true friendships and hugs and ridiculousness and risk taking and meeting goals and forgiveness and love.  I want to look back at a full to the freaking brim life.  And that means every single choice I make in my life needs to align with that vision. 

I can get wrapped up in the not important, tiny problems real fast and find myself spinning in my thoughts.  At those moments, I need to remember that tiny problems are just that.  Tiny.  Miniscule.  Not worth the spin.  Not worth it at all. 

Because there are people out there who have risen above the awful and terrible and heartbreaking.  They have made the choice to remain themselves and to even go so far as becoming a better version.  They are the people who deserve the world.  They are the people who give me chills and put a little tear in my eye.  In complete admiration.

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”  --Elizabeth Kubler Ross