An occasional series based on stuff that hangs in my room… or my heart.
I love this one.
I’m probably like many of you… a people pleaser. And while that can have its own problems, the difficulty I have in saying no has led me on some adventures that brought so much joy. I probably
wouldn’t be writing devotionals today if I hadn’t been looking for a way to give back to the community after my Cursillo Weekend in 2006, and TonyD suggested I write occasionally for his blog. I’ve had some of my happiest, most peaceful moments when I am writing; it helps to settle and focus my brain and soul.
In the same vein, if I had said no to Sister Jane Abeldn on my fiftieth birthday when she said she had a gift for me and it turned out to be my first-ever trip to a perpetual adoration chapel, I might not have come back from Pennsylvania and found such a chapel within a mile of my home in Arlington, Virginia. It truly is the happiest place on earth for me, especially when Jesus and I are the only ones there.
With some work, prayer and trust, I’ve managed to find happiness in really bad job situations, personal bankruptcy, and the end of friendships and other relationships. Sometimes, the happy place can be very difficult to find, but it’s always there… in learning when to speak up and when to stay quiet; in learning how to live simply; and in learning that sometimes, the happiest thing you can do is say good-bye. Trust me. If you look for opportunities, you can create happiness anywhere.
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