September 2015
From the Dragons’ Den
One of the joys of working with Little Dragons is the amount of happiness engendered as we spend time playing, making, talking, enjoying stories, singing and being a part of the lives of the babies, toddlers, carers and other helpers. The best moment is when each LD comes through the door with a big smile of happiness which is returned by all present.
Happiness. What is it? What does it mean to you?
There are times when happiness might seem to be elusive, when we struggle to get through the day, the week, the month and when the future may seem to lack lustre and hope, when we feel that we have descended into a pit of despair, alone and hopeless.
If I ever feel that life is not as happy as I might like it to be; if I feel down at heart or that the cares of the world are perhaps becoming more than I can cope with, I take time to list in my head the things in my life that point at my good fortune – and there are many things to be glad about, to be grateful for – sometimes things, occasions and, importantly, people who have made my life what it is, and made it special.
The Internet Oracle declares that:
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. Charles Spurgeon
Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions. Dalai Lama
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. Mahatma Gandhi.
If you want to be happy, be. Leo Tolstoy
A hug is like a boomerang – you get it back right away. Bill Keane
Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. Oscar Wilde
From a personal view, Happiness is:
Laughing so hard that you ache, laughing at yourself and laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
Family and friends. Time spent with them is precious.
Waking up and realising you are still alive; being grateful for another beautiful day.
Getting a hug from someone you care about.
Knowing you’ve done the right thing, no matter what other people think.
So, we all have the capacity for happiness but we don’t always utilise it, preferring, it would seem, to dwell on the miseries in life.
Not a good idea – because – being miserable accentuates the wrinkles; smiling makes one look ten years younger. I know which I prefer!
Val Butterworth
