I always try to walk through life with kindness, compassion and I am certainly karma based! What makes me happy... Hmmm... I could fill this letter with endless thoughts but I will try to keep it under a couple thousand words! Adventure makes me happy, travel makes me happy, the California coast makes me happy, warm ocean water and I am happy when adventuring through life with a trusted partner working towards similar interests and common goals. I enjoy being a good provider knowing we have the ability to do and see the places we want to see without a financial worry, I am happy spending the day at the beach, in the sun on the water at the lake making sure the food and drink is enjoyable. I'm happy showering together after a long day of fun, I'm happy when I see a puppy just being a puppy, when a child laughs, when a bird sings or when a new flower blooms. I'm happy when I volunteer or lend my time or money for a good cause, like you I'm happy when my friends are happy. I'm sure many aspects of life make me happy that also make others happy although I might have a bit more opportunity than others to easily find happiness!
Yes I agree our that our daily lives can easily get into a routine or path while our heads can also easily get carried away by the life/work process but is this what life supposed to be about??? Is this is what has been imprinted or engrained into our minds and everyday culture, are we really getting more pleasure from the process or actually achieving them? Does the process of the daily grind of the corporate world hinder or block the path to our true goals and dreams? I receive very little satisfaction in my career other than my nice paycheck every two weeks, am only here to work then consume, work then consume the never ending cycle day after day, year after year! I sometimes kick myself for not getting a specialized degree rather than falling into my career by need to make money, I sometimes ache with the fact that the lack of a higher degree and to use this knowledge and influence to bring greater righteousness, understanding and help to the world while I feel stranded in my career. Don't get me wrong, I make good money and I do receive tiny bits of satisfaction but this comes from some personal relationships I've made with a few co-workers and clients/customers always wanting to a good job for them. But some days the thoughts in my head are of a much greater place while watching the clock late in the day only waiting for the workday to end. Obviously this can all be debated because one persons ambition is another persons routine and is the highest good ones virtue or moral value or is it pleasure? Do we consume all we can eat and drink today because tomorrow we die, is there a perfect balance in life for everyone that constitutes a good life? I recently read that marital happiness is far more important than anything else in life for personal well being, I said to myself, Oh Great because I've never married but at the same time have been very happy about certain aspects of my life!
I hope this finds you well and happy!
Steve