DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS LOOKING

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. At times it seems to me that life is about to begin - real life. There always seems to be an obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time to be served, a debt to be paid, then life would begin.

The reality is these obstacles are our life and accepting this reality allows us to see, there is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. So treasure every moment, for time waits for no one. Stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you are married, until you get divorced, until Friday, until your car or home is paid off, until winter, spring, summer or fall, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination
So work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's looking.

***