It’s normal to feel sad, there’s nothing wrong about that feeling. All of us, in different times, in different ways, deal with pain and moments of inadequacy, emptiness or hopelessness. Feel it, but don’t dwell on it. Don’t let it get the best of you. It’s hard, but think of your problem as a speck in this grand universe; that there is something greater ahead, this particular time will just be a past that you’ll look back in the future; that this phase will lead you to something better; and that God is molding you to be the best version of yourself.
Whenever I feel down, I read this poem to lift my spirits up. I first heard this during a retreat, but when I searched the net for the author, I found that there were issues on who really wrote this. Whoever he/she may be, I thank him/her for the wonderful message. Here it goes:
“You may have defects, be anxious and sometimes live irritated, but do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can prevent it from decadence. There are many that need you, admire you and love you.
I would like to remind you that being happy is not having a sky without storms, or roads without accidents, or work without fatigue, or relationships without disappointments.
Being happy is finding strength in forgiveness, hope in one’s battles, security at the stage of fear, love in disagreements.
Being happy is not only to treasure the smile, but that you may also reflect on the sadness.
It is not just commemorating the event, but also learning lessons in failures. It is not just having joy with the applause, but also having joy in anonymity.
Being happy is to recognize that it is worthwhile to live, despite all the challenges, misunderstandings and times of crises.
Being happy is not inevitable fate, but a victory for those who can travel towards it with your own being. Being happy is to stop being a victim of problems, but an actor in history itself.
It is not only to cross the deserts outside of ourselves, but still more, to be able to find an oasis in the recesses of our soul. It is to thank God every morning for the miracle of life.
Being happy is not being afraid of one’s feelings. It is to know how to talk about ourselves. It is to bear with courage when hearing a “no”.
It is to have the security to receive criticism, even if it is unfair. It is to kiss the children, pamper the parents, have poetic moments with friends, even if they have hurt us.Being happy means allowing the free, happy and simple child inside each of us to live; having the maturity to say, “I was wrong”; having the audacity to say, “forgive me”.
It is to have sensitivity in expressing, “I need you”; to have the ability of saying, “I love you”.
So that your life becomes a garden full of opportunities for being happy…
In your spring-time, may you become a lover of joy. In your winter, may you become a friend of wisdom. And when you go wrong along the way, you start all over again. Thus you will be more passionate about life.
And you will find that happiness is not having a perfect life, but using the tears to water tolerance, losses to refine patience, failures to carve serenity, pain to lapidate pleasure, obstacles to open the windows of intelligence.
Never give up… never give up on the people you love. Never give up from being happy because life is an incredible show. And you are a special human being!”
Vivir y Aprender 