Friday, June 22, 2007

Friday's Quote to Ponder

"One swallow does not make a summer, neither does one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy."
Aristotle
Greek critic, philosopher, physicist, & zoologist (384 BC - 322 BC)

I've had a great week at home with my girls. "Buddy" is on vacation with his family, and we've been sleeping in, hanging out, just doing as we please. Megan has had swimming lessons this week and is doing well. Last night, she jumped off the diving board for the first time. I'm so proud! I've never even done that! She still has quite a way to go, but she's making some progress, and isn't scared, so we're happy. I've been playing with Zoe in the kiddie pool while Meg's having her lessons. It's just been a fun week with them....a needed breather, I think. I love having a few days in a row like that just to relax and unwind.

I realized last night too, that I'm really lucky. I get to stay home and raise my girls, two of the cutest sweetest little people I've ever seen, I have an incredible husband who loves us and provides so well for us, I'm healthy and have a great home and friends and family who love us and whom I love. Aristotle had it right. It takes more than one day or moment to cultivate happiness. It takes alot of them, all added up, even between the valleys of life, to be happy.

Would you like deeper thoughts on the differences between happiness and joy? I think of happiness as "feeling good during happenings", more of a moment by moment thing and can be pursued daily (the "pursuit of happiness", eh?). Joy must be cultivated and learned. It's a feeling of contentment, a "spice of life", that can co-exist with hard times. Like the joy of knowing Jesus (like the old hymn "Joy unspeakable and full of glory...."). That kind of joy is hard to put into words. It's just there. Sometimes, one can lose it, or maybe just not feel it when times are really bad, but it can come back, independent of circumstances.

Whew! I'm tired now. Too much deep thought for my day. I'll welcome any comments you may share. Hope your weekend is great!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Meg is a GOD for jumping off the diving board! I am a huge chicken but always wished I'd be brave enough to dive. I am SO IMPRESSED!!!

Joan said...

I think all those little moment are like rain. Sometimes they aren't there, but hopefully there are enough of them that you can still get a drink when you need one! Doesn't that make you want to "make rain" for people. It's raining right now...a good soaking one, and I guess I have a one track mind!