2 min read

We recently watched a movie called Small Apartments.  It was pretty offbeat but I’m really glad we watched it because at the very end there was a real nugget of wisdom in the form of a man’s advice to his younger brother:

Franklin,

What are we so scared of?

You only get one shot at this life.  There are no do-overs.  Time wasted is time lost.  The past is a ghost.  The future a dream.  There’s only right now.

We need to forgive each other, Franklin.  Forgive and keep moving forward because we are all so ridiculously imperfect.  And we need to find a place we call “home”.  A place where we know we’re loved and we feel safe.

I see it all so clearly now.  It doesn’t matter if you live in a small apartment or some big mansion on a hill; doesn’t matter if you live in a mental institution or on some sunny beach in Saint Croix.  It’s all in your mind.  Every moment in your life is what you make it.  Pain, love, fear… happiness.  You choose to feel each of them.  So choose to be happy Franklin, choose to be… happy.  Because happiness is a state of mind.

Happiness is a state of mind.  It’s so true.  We don’t have control over much in life (the weather, the traffic, other people) but we do have control over how we react to life.

A couple of years ago we went zip lining in the rainforest while on holiday.  The rainforest was true to its name and it poured.  We were soaked right through and cold.  I decided to put on a brave and happy face so as not to ruin the day for my daughter.  I figured if I seemed happy in spite of actually being cold, wet, and slightly miserable that she would follow along.  Funny thing, not only did it work on her, it worked on me too.  By consciously choosing to put on a happy face, I actually was happy.  I had fun despite the weather.  I chose to be… happy.