An Open Letter

Every single day of the year, we are being sold happiness. It does not matter whether it is in the form of a pill, book or holiday. The underlying idea is the same.

 

The problem with happiness is no one knows what it is. It is intangible, even a little mysterious. Trying to be happy is like trying to get sleep. The harder you try, the less likely it is to happen.

 

When one light fades, the one you want becomes visible. There is a peace that passes all understanding. * It sounds like a fantasy, a kind of mental Shangri-La where all the worldly travails are set aside, and we finally let go and breathe out.

 

Why does this peace allude all understanding? Because it is not a product of the mind, nor can it be understood by the mind. We are talking about something that exists at an entirely different level of consciousness that will never be found by looking in the world.

 

Sometimes, albeit rarely, you meet someone who has found their peace and not thrown out of joint by the vagaries of life. They have a look in their eyes, a calm and poise and something indefinable that draws you in inexplicably.

 

If someone were to ask why you feel so moved to get near this person, you find it hard to pin down. There is just something. The paradox is happiness and peace are not the same.

 

For the most part, we cannot control external actions from others or our environment, but we can control ourselves. We can control our perception and how we view what is occurring around us. The reason peace seems complicated to achieve is that our natural instinct is to react in a way that throws us off balance. We get upset, angry, anxious, and all of these are negative emotions we elicit out of habit.

 

If you could start focusing on separating your thoughts with your experiences and let them pass, only you decide how much meaning or the weight they hold. When you begin to let these anxious thoughts affect you less, you will gain peace in your life.

 

Remember to keep the circle positive, peaceful and loving. ©

 

Written with love.

 

*Philippians 4:7

 

Joy M. Mills (IP)
Copyright © 2020
MJM ®

 

**This article is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal or other professional advice. This article was written to support, not replace medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional care if you feel you have a condition.

 

 

 

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to address those with clinical depression or other mental illnesses.