Happiness in my Heart

“Happiness is in the heart, not in the circumstances”

~ Dove Chocolate Wrapper

Today, after a difficult day yesterday, the sun was out. I felt different. Does that sound strange? How can so much change in less than 24 hours? I felt things I haven’t felt in a long time. I saw things I haven’t seen in a long time. It felt good.

This quote was the first thing I saw this morning (yes, I know; it’s not the best breakfast), but it made me smile. It’s true. There is always happiness in my heart, no matter what the circumstances I am facing are in each moment. I am thankful for that. I owe this to my mom and dad, mostly. They gave me an amazing childhood filled with love and happiness. I didn’t always get everything that I wanted, but I sure got everything (and more) that I needed. I think about this a lot. I think about so many people that were given their first cars, got to buy whatever they wanted at the store, and everything seemed to find their way to them when they wanted it. This wasn’t the way it was at my house. I learned how to shop the clearance racks to find what I wanted. I learned that a new pair of designer jeans was the equivalent of 18 hours of work from my minimum wage job. I feel as though, because of this, I am more able to appreciate some of these smaller things that other may over look.I continue to work hard every day to give myself the things that I need and want, and have done so since I was 18 years old. I appreciate all of the things that I have and have grown to appreciate the value of my time.

My happiness in today was working and accomplishing all that I have accomplished, not only today, but in the last 10 years. I am not where I thought wanted to be, but I am getting closer and closer by the minute, and at this moment, I think I am where I need to be: Learning to be me, and learning to be more comfortable with me. Today, I felt the sunshine brightening and warming my heart, and look forward to what the sunshine will bring tomorrow.