The 2 hardest topics for me to write about are humor and happiness. One, to use humor that will make a reader want to chuckle and maybe even laugh out loud. The second is to describe my ideas "on being happy" and how I slide in and out of that place in my mind that causes me to feel happy. For me it's not a feeling that can be maintained for long periods of time. My Webster's Dictionary says that I will enjoy feelings of great pleasure, contentment and joy. Well that's a place I know most of us would like to spend our lives but reality says that's not possible, so for me what is possible? If a person could draw a straight line in his or her mind and label it "satisfied" for me that realistically is where I can hang my hat. My wish for myself is to live on the high side of the line where there's lots of love and not much hate and what's so nice is that as long as my health holds out it gets easier all the time to live above the line. So what else is on the high side of "satisfied"? It's where a brew of : giving, passion for your work, sense of humor, honesty, truthfulness, dependability, positive attitude and can except blame is all mixed into a good tasting soup, works for me. Now it's your turn, all you out there in Blog Land, add your favorites to the brew. Just because you tallied up the score of all these qualities and you found you have a good share of them. This doesn't guarantee that you will always stay on the high side as we're all allowed those times when a boat load of disappointments makes "below the line" look attractive and you may even spend some time below the line feeling sorry for yourself. But soon you recognize that time's a wasting in this darkness, it's time to take a deep breath look up and see that those clouds of blighted hope have a silver lining. So let's leave our woes behind and step back over to the high side of the line from where we came. The high side has that happy high we'll get to enjoy on our return. Then in the course of time we will melt back into our sustainable satisfied mind. Now for those living below the line and are curious about what’s above. All I can say is you are missing most of the high side qualities that make up your personalities. I'm sad to say, I think you will find yourself living nearly all of your time below the line. BUT YOU CERTAINLY CAN CHANGE Down where lying and cheating are common, where jealousy and envy are part of the mosaic and selfishness is always in full view. I could spend more time pointing out our human lousy side but why waste the time. I think we all know that if some measure of happiness is to be found below the line it's life will be measured in nanoseconds. I don't know if I have changed any minds but I've clarified in my own mind, that as I look back over 82 years of life. I can honestly say I've enjoyed a satisfying journey while living mostly above the line.

See Ya,

Jack