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HAPPINESS BY THE WAY
Back
in ‘89 I bought a box of herb tea and the box carried a little message
on "How To Be Happy." It quoted John Stuart Mill, one of my
favorite philosophers.
Mills said, "Those only are happy who have their minds fixed on
some object other than their own happiness; on the happiness of others,
on the improvement of mankind, even on some art or pursuit, followed not
as a means but as itself an ideal end. Aiming thus at something else,
they find happiness by the way."
Having our mind fixed on something gets it off our ego flights and
monkey mind jabberings. For today, let's get our mind fixed on our art.
And yes, we all have an art. It may be songwriting or painting and it
may be auto body work. Whatever it is, it is a way out of our
self-obsession. It is a way to lose ourselves.
One of Jesus' great paradoxes was, "He that loss his life shall
save it and he that saves his life shall lose it." He was saying
the same thing John Stuart Mills said. He was actually saying, "He
who loses himself in his own art or in service to others will be paid
off in the coin of happiness."
Mary Delaney counsels at a recovery center in Atlanta. She became an
alcoholic and discovered recovery was related to her own return to her
art. She wrote a wonderful little book, "The Art of Recovery:
Thoughts and Meditations for the Recovering Artist" ($8.95 from
Ultimate Publishing, Box 1375, Decatur, GA 30031). I yellow-pencil
things I like in books and have just about yellow-penciled everything in
this one.
This book came to me at the very moment I was discouraged with my
songwriting and entertaining careers. Like Mary, "It didn't seem
like the rest of the world was acknowledging or appreciating my efforts.
And it felt like the harder I tried the more anxiety I felt."
For me the solution was apparent: to write and sing and speak "as
itself an ideal end." Do it for the inherent joy! Do it for itself!
Do it because God blesses the flexing of a God-given creative muscle.
Flowers bloom because flowers love to bloom. If you enjoy them, they
probably sense it because studies have shown flowers respond to human
kindness and appreciation, but whether or not anyone enjoys them, they
are going to bloom.
So...bloom! Do your thing! You are one of God's flowers, too. Bloom just
for the fun of it.
**********
If you receive this through someone on Dalton Roberts e-list and wish to
be on his list, send your name and screen name to him at daltonroberts@comcast.net.
And check out his goodies and other writings at his website at
www.daltonroberts.com.
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