A Full Life

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I have a full and satisfying life but I want to take a moment and explain why that is so.

Years ago when I had depression, my life was very confined. In those days, I was unable to look beyond myself and my perceived troubles and therefore missed out on a lot of what was going on around me. There was no reaching out on my part because I felt unworthy.

I've since discovered that the secret to expanding your life is to open up to possibilities. Forget about yourself for a while and accept others for what you can offer to each other. I'm constantly astounded by how much goodness I find in other people and how trustworthy most of them are. Every new friend or even acquaintance that comes into my life enriches it in ways I could never have imagined. The more people you surround yourself with the more it takes your mind off yourself.

We'd probably all be a little bit sad if all we had to think about each day was ourselves. There are aches, pains, and unrequited love in everybody's lives but we don't need to dwell on those things. I once counseled a widow that the best way for her to drag herself out of a lonely life of woe was to start by taking part in the senior center's activities. She rejected the idea, preferring to concentrate on her solitary misery instead.

Some people live very satisfying lives even though seldom making contact with others. Those are people who are happy within themselves but most of us need companionship to be truly happy. These days I'm quite content when I'm alone but it doesn't take long before I'm out searching for more stimulation. I like talking to people and I love interesting people. Believe it or not, most people are very interesting if you give them the chance to open up.

When I was younger I never talked to strangers and kept a "hands off" aura around me. Today I yak to anyone and it's amazing to watch a stranger thaw just by making a small comment while standing in line somewhere. I think there are a lot of lonely people out there who just don't know how to make contact. Maybe all it takes is a few words to give a lift and bring a smile.

I read back over what I've written and see that my happiness began when I stopped dwelling on myself and stepped out of my shell. Since those dark days I've found a whole world of interest and possibilities that was always there just waiting for me to notice it.

Life is what you make of it.