Recent Quotes from Happiness Project page

"There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy." --R.L. Stevenson

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." - T.S. Eliot

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude." - Denis Waitley

"Be kinder than necessary, for everone you meet is fighting some kind of a battle ..." (unknown or James M Berrie)

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try," which is Yoda from "The Empire Strikes Back"

"Death isn't sad. The sad thing is: most people don't live at all" - Socrates in The Peaceful Warrior

"Do more than belong, participate. Do more than care, help. Do more than believe, practice. Do more than be fair, be kind. Do more than forgive, forget. Do more than dream, work. ~ W. A. Ward"

"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future." ~Oscar Wilde

To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden, or a redeemed social condition;... See More
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded. ~ not cited

"The answers are never "out there". All the answers are "in there", inside you, waiting to be discovered"...and

"The world is awash in divisions rooted in human compulsion to believe our differences are more important than our humanity" - Pres. Bill Clinton

While my CFI was out this past week, I flew with the Chief some. Honestly, it made me feel a little nervous. But I liked it too. I've been pretty wrapped up on the task of flying and had negected the joy. It was good to just kinda enjoy.

I flew with my instructor on Friday. He said I am a lot closer than I think I am.

Note from what I'm reading right now

Falling Apart in One Piece ~ Stacy Morrison

"Anger hides everything you need to feel to get past the anger."

That resonates. It seems like anger is pretty rampant. Is it the economy...all the uncertainties? I had a friend who died a few years ago. She wasn't the happiest or the most content person I have known, but she was definitely the least angry person I've known... even before the cancer made it's presence known. I loved spending time with her partly because she was so awesome at maintaining her "not angry/not even upset loveliness. Things that would rub me wrong, she laughed at. Situations that narrowed my eyes and flared my ears back, she immediately saw the humor in. When I might lean towards impatience, she unfailing steered towards compassion ... Let's give them the benefit of a doubt (is that the expression?) she'd say just as I was getting my grouchy on! Anger. It has it's place. But it seems clear to me that it's overrated. I've seen it as an indulgence. I've seen it as disabling. I've seen it used to energize, like caffeine. I've seen it blind people who have wrapped themselves up in it. I saw the movie "Invictus" this summer. Nelson Mandela is an example of what " not angry" can accomplish. Anger hides... masks. None of my best moments had anger in them. Most of my worst moments did.

Friday afternoon

"Death isn't sad. The sad thing is: most people don't live at all" - Socrates in The Peaceful Warrior

This was a long week. I am kinda exhausted most of the time...the kind that comes with that almost numb,dull headache. I do not sleep well. I had a bit of a rough week with flight training. Today, my CFI told me the story of someone he cared about who died while an instructor pilot. I can feel the weight of the responsibility that he feels towards training me in to an instructor. He says he believes that I can do this, but I think he wonders why I want to. I want to because this is hard. I like accomplishing difficult things. Flying is a little bit the same and totally different each time you get in the plane. It requires a lot of self discipline. I like that people come to it and become better versions of themselves as they discipline themselves towards it. I like the challenge of flying well. He doesn't like that one thing can go very wrong and can carry fatal consequences. He, like my other really experienced CFI, has seen the story of mistakes...miscalculations...mishaps written in blood. These guys don't know much about the slow creeping death that sends women like me to the tennis courts, shopping malls and extreme yoga adventures. What am I supposed to do with my life? I've pulled a lot of weeds in my garden. They grow back. There's always another fund raiser or club meeting. The same people with the same fabulous ideas show up. The chairperson changes. The jewelry changes. Everything else stays the same. I have found in this exercise towards accomplishing this goal, strength that I didn't know I had. I like it. I like how it shapes me. I like the idea of helping someone else towards who it can help them towards. I like it.