Gratitude is the foundation of happiness

Being thankful is the cure for being unhappy. Unhappy people focus on what they do not have while thankful people focus on what we DO have.

I can hear the perpetually-unhappy whining "Oh, great. So you want me to be happy by accepting that misery and grinding-poverty and death is the base condition of humanity."

Frankly, yes. That is exactly what I propose. How can you be happy if you try to build your life on a fantasy-foundation of whipped meringue and sparkles? Fantasies may be entertaining but they are not durable.

You cannot "command" happiness but you can be grateful and happiness is a byproduct of being grateful.

My list

I thank God that:

• I am alive
• I am healthy
• My mind still functions well enough
  
• I am married to the woman I love
• By all appearances, she loves me
• All of my kids are alive
• All of them live less than an hour's travel away
• All of them are employed and on-their-own
• I get to see my granddaughter nearly every day
• Six of my seven siblings are still alive
  
• My house is sufficient for my needs but not so big that it is too expensive to heat and maintain
• I have food in the pantry and heating oil in the tank
• I have enough standing firewood to heat my house for the rest of my life and enough stacked and under cover for the next two years
• I have the means and ability to grow food to eat
• I have enough money to pay my bills
  
• Society in my area is still civil. 
• I get along with my neighbors.
• The electricity still flows in the wires, the roads are adequate, I know several good mechanics and tradesmen.
• I can still worship according to my choice
• I can still exercise my First Amendment rights by posting this blog
  

Thanks for reading!

-Joe