Getting to Happy

*Cross myself and greet the Lord.

• Before getting up each morning, set an intent for the day.

Unlike some fortunate people, I'm not exactly 'awake' when I first wake up. It takes me a little while to rouse into the world of the living. One the other hand, unlike some unfortunate people, I have the pleasure of being at home in the morning and not having to set the alarm clock most days to be at any specific place for any specific reason.
When I do have to be someplace early, I've always been a snooze-button hitter when my alarm is responsible for waking me up; I'm loathe to admitt, I don't just wake up naturally at the crack of dawn. It's best for me to puff up my pillows, sit up for a bit, and assess the day. Ideally, 20 minutes is perfect! Once the groginess of sleep has cleared my brain, I find that it's good to go over my day and set an intent for the day. (I do this even before morning prayer; I'm not quite ready for that yet.)

In The Art of Happiness, the Dali Lama says, "Every day, think as you wake up: today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it."

The Psamist, David said, "Oh God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee (my whole nature is designed to long sumpremely after God), in a dry and thisty land where no water is." (Psalm 63:1)

Like King David, I should seek God first thing in the day for His plans and purposes, when I set an intent for my day, before other things come to distract and divert my attention, and well before other influences come in to take control and direct me. The Psamist wasn't searching for real water or any earthly thing, but for sprititual manifestations of God and direction for his life. It's difficult to find that as the day progresses, just like the cool morning dew evaporates as the heat of the sun blazes down on the day.

I don't want the daily intent that I set up to be just another "to do" item on my ever-increasing list. It has to be more than that. I want it to be something that makes a great difference in my day. Something like: "Enjoy today's significant moments" or "work hard and be nice today." It might be a little more specific like "saying thankyou to loved ones today" or "making the day a completely positive day, with no negatives in it."

God's promise made to Solomon can certainly apply to me: "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17)

Whatever the case may be, I do it; with God's help I will set the intent for the day. Setting out into the day with purpose, and not just aimlessly wondering into it without direction or a path to follow.


How will I get to "Happy" if I do that?

How will I get anywhere if I do that?



Avere un buon giorno,



Mimi