HAPPINESS...IT'S A DECISION.

I recently saw a billboard with actor Micheal J. Fox on with the caption "Happiness...it is a decision" and I must agree with it. In our brains there seems to be a switch that we can turn on and off. Happiness does at times take work and I feel it is much easier to be grumpy or angry with the world. Happy people seem to be more successful and affluent whereas angry seem to struggle. Just as it takes time to be successful, people who struggle seem to always take the easy way.

Life throws us curve balls all the time. Recently at work, we had a guest (I work at a hotel) who called to the desk and angrily told me he had no hot water, he said he had to make a court appearance in a half an hour and he needed the issue resolved right away. He slammed the phone down before I could tell him we would check it and get him another room. Moments later he stormed down with the intent of letting me have it. He was a man in his 40's who looked like he had rough life, he smelled like a old carton of cigarettes and looked like he had been beaten down by factory work. His profanity-laced blast escalated in volume so that our full lobby could hear. He made it clear that we somehow purposely put him in a room without hot water. He snorted that he was not about to pay for this. I obliged and refunded his stay. He appeared to get what he wanted but you could tell he was not satisfied. He wanted to argue and let the whole world know how awful his time was. His face was red, and veins were sticking out on his neck and I found myself amazed at how mad he was. It was as if he was angry with things way beyond the cold water. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the guest and his view on life.

I do believe you can have spirited debates and disagreements, but I see no reason for anger. If Micheal J. Fox motivates you to be happy great, but I would also include putting Jesus in the mix. There are points in life when you get hit in the face with cold water (sometimes literally). How you handle it ensures a happy or miserable existence... I prefer happy.