What makes you happy?
Beautiful words from our Quiet Computer Guy, Gregory C. Johnson.
What Makes You Happy?
Quite the title; isn’t it? Do you really know what makes you happy? Have you ever just sat down and thought about it? Coming from the background I did, growing up where I was mired in a negative environment, and where I was never really was shown any love or affection by my family … I wrestled with this for many years.
There is one thing that stands out for me where I can go and feel the joy of happiness; music. I have been enamored with music since I was very little. My grandfather gave me my first drum when I was three years old. As a small child, I would sit for hours in front of the stereo singing along to my parent’s records. Even thinking of that now brings a warm feeling to my heart.
As I grew older, my mother supported me and my fascination with music. She started me with drum lessons; I then took up guitar and bass guitar. There were even some piano lessons in there for a while.
The first band I played in was our Youth Choir combo at church. I have played many places over the years in many different situations from small clubs to large summer festivals. Playing or listening to music has brought me many happy moments my life.
Yet, music is not what really truly makes me happy.
As I said earlier, I wrestled with the thought of true happiness for quite some time. I didn’t find out what true happiness was until later in my life when by some miracle of God’s intention someone was brought into my life that showed me how being truly happy could feel. So now, I suppose, you think you know how this all turns out; you meet the person that makes you feel all warm inside, it becomes a mutual thing, and you live happily ever after. That is the way things are supposed to work out, right? But that is not what God intended for me.
As happens with many things in life, things were not meant to be as what my heart’s desire prayed for. When that happens, it is our nature to question why, to wonder what is wrong with us, to put blame on God for putting us in a situation that causes our heart to ache. I went through that same thing. Then I realized that God put me into this situation for a reason. I sat and meditated for many an evening looking for some answer. Over time, I did begin to realize that what I was looking for – love from someone else – was not the only thing that could make me happy. With God’s help, I discovered that giving love without condition is another thing that can truly make me happy. It is the joy of doing something for someone for no reason. It is the joy of surprising someone with a small gift or a compliment that makes them smile.
I am content and happy with the situation I am in thanks to God’s design of bringing this special person into my life. She has helped me become a better person over the years without ever knowing the kind of effect she was having on me. She is still the number one thing that makes me happy, but my eyes and heart have been opened to letting in other avenues of happiness to make my life complete.
So what makes you happy?
~The Quiet Computer Guy
Fear
It’s Friday, y’all.
This has become a ritual for me to sit down at the computer every Friday and just focus on the writing prompt to see where my thoughts take me. However, there wasn’t a prompt word given by Lisa-Jo today for our usual Five Minute Fridays. So … I sat here staring at the screen contemplating what to write on. Seeing the disappointment on my face, my daughter strolled through the living room and threw out the prompt word “Fear” …
And so we’ll have our very own Five Minute Friday right here, right now. I’d love it if you’d join in with your comments on this prompt word, if you feel so inclined.
Let’s begin.
Ready?
Set?
GO!
There is a famous movie that I’m pretty sure you’ll all remember when I share this quote with you. But, before I do … as you read it, think of how you can relate to what is being said. let the words speak to your heart. Let it echo through your thoughts.
Me? I’m scared of everything. I’m scared of what I saw, I’m scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you.
This … THIS … is a quote from Baby in the movie Dirty Dancing after she has discovered the absolute love of her life.
Can you relate to how she was scared of everything? Have you ever been afraid of the next step, the next thing you’ll be forced to face in this life?
What about what you saw? Have you ever seen something – an image – an actual event taking place – or maybe a movie of that event playing in your mind although you never saw it actually happen, yet the events of that day haunt you and play over repeatedly in your thoughts and mind when you try to sleep at night? I have experienced this.
What about the fear of what you’ve done? We all have regrets in life, but the past is the past. It can’t be un-done. It can only be forgiven.
Have you ever been afraid of who you are? Truly? Honestly? If you look yourself in the mirror, have there been times you’ve just been afraid of who you were? We all have moments when angers grips us, but does it control you? Does it make you rage out of control? Do you fear who you become in those moments?
And the biggest question of all … have you ever felt like Baby? Fearing that you’ll go the rest of your whole life without feeling the way you feel when you’re with that special person in your life? If you feel loved, sheltered, protected, treasured, cherished, and alive … do you fear never feeling any of those things again?
Do you?
I do.
STOP!
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”
How many times have we heard the oft used phrase?
Pictures on paper, pictures on the computer screen, pictures in our minds.
We take photos at major and minor events in our lives. We take them to make a piece of a memory.
I have someone close to me in my life that I affectionately call “The Picture Queen.” She takes photos in rapid succession. Sometimes it may feel like the paparazzi, but she takes all of those photos for a reason …
To be able to look back on events that mean a great deal to her and to those that are in the photos
We can take photos with a phone, cameras, and, of course, with our eyes and mind. Photos capture that “moment.” They help us re-live memories that touch our hearts. They could be of loved ones, love that was had, then lost, and maybe found again. They could be of those that were lost too soon in life, and when those memories come to the surface, there may be tears or there may be laughs. They always are warm and happy feelings, though.
Photos are windows into times in our lives that bring emotions to the surface that we sometimes forget.
We have people in our lives that we will never or can ever forget. They reach into our hearts, touch our soul, and we are never the same person.
Life is precious; so is love.
When it comes, and often at times we never expect, we should always capture those cherished moments not only in our mind’s eye, but in some way to have a visual reminder of those moments that passed all too soon.
A picture is worth a thousand words. It is also worth a thousand tears, a thousand laughs, a thousand smiles, and a thousand warm feelings.
Pictures taken when we were children … we all have moms and dads that took that “embarrassing” photo. The joy it gives them is worth any embarrassment. When the day comes that they have gone to a better place, even then we can look at those embarrassing photos and smile knowing the joy it brought to the ones that gave us life.
Some don’t like their picture taken and say:
“I never take good pictures.”
It’s not for you to judge. The person taking the picture loves the image created and will hold it close to their heart.
A snap shot of time; a snippet of a memory.
To them, it could be the most beautiful picture taken. So keep in mind, you do take good photos.
Memories feed our soul.
Pictures in our mind, on paper, in a scrapbook, or filed in computer memory bring smiles and joy to those who have them. We can make funny faces, but the image captured is a moment in time. A moment filled with love, togetherness, and joy.
A wedding, a graduation, a prom, a walk on the beach, a dinner cruise, and yes, even a “selfie.” Life captured in small moments now displayed on a piece of paper or on a computer screen.
Our memories may fail us, but a picture endures.
They may fade, just like our memory. The image still brings all that back to the forefront of our thoughts.
As we go forward in life, celebrating Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, Christmas, Ground Hog’s Day …whatever the occasion … take the pictures, make the memories, remember the love that brought you to the place where the picture can be taken.
Celebrate life; document and cherish those who walk the path of life with you.
Those moments may never come again.
I was once told:
“We are not guaranteed another day.”
As days go by, those captured moments in time become an anchor, a life line to those wondrous memories.
So, wear out the batteries on your cameras and phones. You’ll look back on those images with joy.
~Gregory H. Thompson
