Almost there

I have a dream of making it big. I don't particularly care for fame, but I do want to do something important. I want to do it for those I love, for those I want to serve and for myself. Once I get there, I will be so happy.

I have to admit, though, that I am pretty happy right now. I haven't always felt this way, but a few years ago I came across the notion that I could choose to be happy despite what my current life condition was. It took a couple of years for me to get the hang of it, but then, I was there, at happy, no matter what.

Getting what we want, to where we want, to how we want it is a process. It is different for everyone and how we choose to go about it makes all the difference. We can learn, grow, have fun, stumble, get up, enjoy, redefine and refocus. Or we can struggle, bemoan, complain and resent our opportunities for personal evolution.

Getting what we want brings with it new experiences we may have not anticipated–new tasks, responsibilities and challenges–and then we may realize we want something else. We keep moving the goal and postponing our happiness. We are forever almost there, almost happy. Buying a house, moving to a new city, opening up a business, retiring, getting a new job or promotion, having a baby, completing an academic degree–we don't get there without the process, but the process doesn't happen without the dream, without the goal. We have to appreciate and enjoy both.

Image from michaelpalladino.net.

We tend to postpone happiness until we get there, but what if we change course? Then what? What if the course is the point of it all? What if we look at our dream from where we are right now, look at where we are right now and enthusiastically look forward to the path to get to where we want to be? What if we consider this and realize that we are there, at happy?