One blog I enjoy is Samira’s Notebook . The other day she listed Happy Quotes which were amusing as well as happy. But number 3 caught my eye and mind. It was a quote attributed to Audrey Hepburn ”The most important thing is to enjoy your life, to be happy. It’s all that matters.’
A few months ago I did a meditation with a Buddhist monk who, at one point, said something about The Purpose is finding Happiness.
None of this feels right to me. I believe happiness is a lovely thing to have but is transient and comes and goes. Life is hard, has challenges, and it is the moments of happiness or joy that strengthen us for the inevitable storms. I think the Most Important thing is something else, but I am not sure I can adequately explain it.
What do you think the most important thing in life is?
Oh! and that blasted beeping thing?
I have way too many devices. So this morning as usual I am sitting in bed checking my iPad for emails, news, blog notices, etc.
And from somewhere in my apartment there came a beep. Repeatedly. Probably 3 or 4 seconds apart. Now I had a very interrupted sleep last night for no good reason I could ascertain. (I now blame THE BEEP).
I went from room to room to determine location then back to my bedroom.
BEEP
I looked around. What did I have nearby?
1 iPad. Not the beeper
1 iPhone 12 – not sure but don’t think that is it.
1 old Samsung Galaxy A10, not used as a phone but to play music and use an indoor temperature app I can’t find for iPhone.
Very old Acer Laptop I use strictly as a word processor when writing away from my desk. It is so light.
So I take the Samsung and the Acer out to the living room.
AHA! It is definitely one of them. BEEP
Turns out it was the Samsung needing some kind of attention to One Note which did not show on alerts. Finally.
Just now – another beep. Turns out it was my Wannabe Fitbit JyouPro that I got from Walmart for $19 on sale from $99 two years ago and does everything that FitBit does. It was signalling that it was fully charged.
I either need to streamline my gadgets or get a new one that identifies sleep-disturbing beeps.
Say, it’s minus 12C here at north of 43 on this January 7th, 2022. True winter has settled in, and there was JB a world apart buying summer flowers for the garden yesterday!
May you find some resemblance of peace or whatever you think is the important thing in life today!
A World Apart 
Great post. Sorry about the beeping. From sunny Wellington, cheers
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Thanks! Looking forward to our chat tomorrow!
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Reblogged this on I choose how I will spend the rest of my life.
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It has always bothered me that the constitution of the USA include “the pursuit of happiness” as one if its goals. That phrase is probably responsible for more misery than any other. Pursuing happiness is a selfish goal and like chasing rainbows. Happiness is a wonderful by-product of something entirely different – not sure what, but it has to be unselfish. Maybe love? Truth?
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Cat you and Colleen are right on!! I wasn’t sure anyone would understand what I was trying to say. Thank you for making it so clear!
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As much as I love Audrey Hepburn, I don’t agree with her on this one. We were created for a purpose, and if we find that purpose in a love relationship with our Creator, joy is a happy byproduct that spills over from that relationship, among other things – peace, love, hope, etc.
The reason we don’t feel that joy in just living for ourselves is that deep down we know we are inadequate. We’ve not always done the right things, we’ve failed, and we’ve fallen short of what we were created to be. But there is Someone who was willing to take our sins and flaws upon Himself and pay the price so our debt could be wiped out. That Someone is Jesus. He loves us so much He died in our place, taking the punishment He didn’t deserve. He then rose from the dead to show us He has defeated death, and we no longer have to fear it! If we believe that His death paid for our sins, we can know we’re forgiven and can have eternal life with Him, starting NOW. As we focus on living for Him (not just on the elusive “happiness”) life is fuller than you can imagine. – Not perfect or painless (yet!) but definitely better than life before Jesus. And the best is yet to come
(THAT’S happiness!)
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Well said!
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I think this – “I believe happiness is a lovely thing to have but is transient and comes and goes. Life is hard, has challenges, and it is the moments of happiness or joy that strengthen us for the inevitable storms. I think the Most Important thing is something else, but I am not sure I can adequately explain it.” is so very accurate. I think pursuing happiness can come in many forms. I think the “something else” of importance can be things like service to others, finding cures for illness, providing for family, etc. But, in achieving those things, I think there is also happiness. I think it all ties in together.
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Colleen you hit it dead on!! Oh thank you. Not sure what I was trying to say would be understood!
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Message received here! 🙂
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I agree with you. I have found that focusing on happiness makes it flee. Focusing on being the best person I can be works better for me.
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Wise words Cindy!
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I don’t think you can pursue happiness. You can savour it when it comes, you can remember it when it goes, you can try to make other people happy. But I’m not into chasing – but I try to be content. Sometimes when those moments of pure joy do happen they are quite frightening – even more so because you know they cannot last.
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You nailed it! I am like you – seeking Contentment
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I believe that happiness and joy are not synonymous. As you so perfectly pointed out, happiness is fleeting. I feel happy now as I read your blog while nibbling a bit of leftover chocolate orange. Joy, however, is a deeper sentiment that abides with us through trials and times of ease. It includes hope, peace, and understanding. It is more mature and lasting than happiness. I enjoy moments of happiness, but it is JOY that I actively seek. Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts.
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Your comments are perfect and say so clearly what I was trying to to say. Thanks!!@
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