Our Most Glorious Promise

I’m beginning to realize that I’ve had it all wrong. I know what you’re thinking. How could I be wrong about anything? But it’s true. I’ve spent a good amount of my life trying to “figure it out.” I’ve questioned God and religion and faith, studied psychology and philosophy, read poetry and history and books on spirituality, the evolution of consciousness and Darwinism; always seeking, seeking, seeking answers. I have found some. I’ve found pockets of peace and moments of understanding through speculation or insight, through trial and error, falling again and again and figuring out how to pick up the pieces.

But in all of this trying to figure out why why why and searching for life’s promise, I’ve missed the point entirely. The point is (I believe) quite simply: To Be Happy. The point is to do everything we can to make ourselves happy. The point is to know that we have the ability and the right to attain happiness forever and always and no matter what the current situation looks or feels like. It is possible. It is possible.

Here’s how it works: You are here, wherever you are (mad, sad, happy, disappointed, rich, poor, married, single, young, old, black, white, yellow), now. Start here. Now. Even if here and now is not where you want to be. Even if here and now seems like an impossible never-ending trek into the darkness or a bad song on repeat. Because guess what? You don’t have to trek into the darkness; the sun will come out again and you can take a leisurely stroll if you’d like. And you don’t have to suffer through even one Michael Bolten song; you can change the station. No, really!

You are the only one in control of you. You are the only one inside your head, swimming in your thoughts, wading in your emotions. It is your experience. It is your world, you rule, and you have the choice to find joy in each moment. It is there for you; this is a fact. Love and fulfillment and utter bliss are always at your fingertips if you choose to see it. And I’m not suggesting denial; things must be addressed. But they mustn’t be obsessed over. They mustn’t spin your thoughts into wildfire and singe your world to gray.

The truth is, we may never know why. We may never figure it out. We may seek and seek and grasp and flail and throw our arms up and cry and think ourselves mad. We may never get to the bottom of it, never, never. But we don’t have to. We don’t need answers; we need to grab our life by the reins and choose to see the light and love and wonder behind every moment. Never getting to the bottom of it is a minor detail, a detour on our path to bliss. Bliss, that utter happiness waiting beneath our thoughts right now, is what we must take for our hope and our shield and our most glorious promise.