Happiness seems elusive. You fall in love and begin planning a wedding. You do many things to make sure your plans come into fruitions. Finally the happy day arrives. Family and friends assemble to help share your happiness. After the honeymoon a life together begins. Why is it that after so much work and such a well planned wedding the next year is the hardest and so many marriages fail?
I don’t have all the answers but I do think I have an idea of what is needed to be happy both in marriages and as individuals. For me I need time alone and time alone with my husband every day. If my or our time alone is spent worrying or thinking about what needs to get done then happiness is not going to occur. The companionship of stress is real and make being alone impossible. Planning and worrying about what needs to be done are two very different ideas. When I am alone and enjoying time thinking then I have met a very important personal need. The same hold true for my marriage.
To be happy I need to feel that I have a purpose in life. Marriages also need to have purpose. Most marriages focus on employment, bills, physical needs, children, housing, yard work, etc. These maybe considered necessities in a marriage but don't give a purpose to a marriage. When my husband and I each individually have purpose and then come together with a combined purpose we are happy. Having a purpose in life usually requires eliminating much of the things we feel are important. I had a friend that gave up a high paying job and fancy house so he could be home in the evening to play with his children and spend time with his wife without worry about his job. He had time for friends and service. He was happy and so was his family.
I find this is just scratching the surface of finding happiness. What about you? Are you able to find happiness?
No comments:
Post a Comment