What does it take to be happy

Loads of things, but it also takes being satisfied with what one has.

Today was a happy day for me.

Last night was -7, and by this morning the snow had piled deep around, and high on top of my car. There was no way to get out. I had to cancel my meetings, and was stuck in the house.

Its a temporary house. On the water with fantastic views of the bay and the mountains. And today it was also a house with no food, except for some almonds, raisins, Diet Coke and orange juice. The cheese that was there was mouldy, and the microwave would not work, so there was no scope of a quick cup of Earl Gray.

Since I was in Seattle over the weekend, and went straight to Vancouver from there I didn't have the time to go grocery shopping, so it was what it was.

The day went by fast, and beautifully. I ate drank what was there plus drank of the view and total silence broken by the sound of the waves and the rustle of the wind. Felt God like a tight hug, and found that I could be happy even when stranded in the snow, hungry.

Now if this were a routine it would be drudgery, but being stranded in life is only a part of life, so during those days being happy makes life enjoyable - because this day and bad days shall pass too - but how they're handled will have a lot to do with who I am and how I handle life. Ultimately it comes to making lemonade or crying over life's lemons.