Every so often, we all need to be reminded of what really matters in life. We need to remember what happiness really is, what love means and that life can be absolutely wonderful. And, today. we need it more than ever.
Pope Francis offered up some very wise words on how each of us can be the author of our life — to never give up on happiness and to stay true, faithful and focused. Here are those words:
“You can have flaws, be anxious and even be angry, but don’t forget that your life is the greatest business in the world. Only you can stop it from failure. You are appreciated, admired and loved by many. Remember that being happy is not having a sky without storms, a road without accidents, a job without effort, relationships without disappointments.
Being happy is to stop feeling a victim and become the author of your own destiny. It’s going through deserts, but being able to find an oasis deep in your soul. It’s to thank God every morning for the miracle of life. It’s kissing your children, cuddling your parents, having poetic moments with your friends, even when they hurt us.
To be happy is to let live the creature that lives in each of us, free, joyful and simple. It’s having maturity to be able to say: “I made mistakes”. Having the courage to say “I’m sorry”. It’s having a sensitivity to say “I need you”. Is having the ability to say “I love you”. May your life become a garden of opportunities for happiness… that in spring I can be a lover of joy and in winter a lover of wisdom.
And when you make a mistake, start over. Because only then will you fall in love with life. You will find that being happy doesn’t mean having a perfect life. But she uses tears to irrigate tolerance. Use your defeats to train your patience.
Use your mistakes with the serenity of the sculptor. Use pain to tune into pleasure. Use obstacles to open the windows of intelligence. Never give up … above all, never give up on the people that love you. Never give up on happiness, because life is an amazing show. ” – Pope Francis
This is one of those reminders we all need now and then. Life often beats us down and we get caught up in the rat race. Let the Pope’s words sink in and read them several times — in fact, consider making them one of the things you think of when you need to re-group and re-energize. We can fight back against the assault of daily life by realizing that we are all important, we’re all loved, we are all in this life together and, that life can be a beautiful experience if we passionately want it to be.
