ATS, what makes you happy to be alive?

A very good friend of mine passed away over the week end. He never truly enjoyed life, never really lived to the fullest, constantly complained that life, for most, was just misery, sadness, misfortune and basically, a waste. He was sixty years old.

Over years, I've had long chats with him about life. I think that in his way, he was never able to appreciate the little things that makes life enjoyable. Sad really...

Personally, I think that life is magnificent. An ever changing piece of Art. The scenery, the ever changing decor, the wildlife, even the cloud patterns along with a sunset or a sunrise is extremely difficult to perfectly reproduce, by any artist that has been or ever will be. A sky filled with stars on a cloudless night is an eyeful. We live in a constant work of Art.

I believe that, maybe what my friend meant, all these years, is that he did not enjoy the way we live.

To that extent, I agree. But life itself ? Nothing can match that.

What make me happy to be alive ? I am only 50 years old and understand the difference.



S&F for a very refreshing thread !!

Stepping outside after a long night at work to gaze up at the myriad twinkiling stars overhead.

Then thinking of how many people i'm sharing that wonderous view with at that very moment; i'm sure most of us have shared such moments without even knowing it, and THAT makes me happy to be alive. We are more alike than we even begin to understand =)

Puppy breath!

Life makes me happy to be alive. I love it.. even the pain. Everything is wonderful when youre really alive. Even in bad things you see potential for good.. even a little tiny piece.

I was an RN that worked in an ER for almost a decade. They didnt rotate you for stress back then. I became angry. Then I became reclusive. I started getting older and older. My daughter was born with a liver disorder and was dying in front of me. I saw the world was a terrible place. Well one day I just started thinking that ... well life is a gift and you shouldnt squander it. My daughter may not have life left or very long of a life. I was horrible for squandering the little time I have here. She got the transplant and lived.. and I lived too. I came out of my house and started really loving people and the world. I reached out to people I never would have before and work with my city govt ( very hard cause theyre corrupt jerks) children at risk, and since there is one whole victims advocate here.. I do that when needed.. this is a gut wrencher... the happiness comes in helping others selflessly. My life is so full and wonderful now. This effected everyone around me as well.. even my grumpy husband. It made me the lady who gets hit head on by a drugged up drunk and has her face smashed... and jokes with the cops and nurses and Drs because they are stressed out. ( AKA my hand was pretty beat up and the orthopedic surgeon was in the room.. I asked him If Id be able to play the piano when I healed up and he said yes, it was soft tissue damage. I said GREAT! Ive never played the piano before.) I sat in chat on ATS and messed with the members while healing.. and made some good friends.. and met some amazing people! It gave me that opportunity. Every single contact with another being can be beneficial and wonderful.

What makes me happy to be alive.. EVERYTHING. EVERY PERSON. Even the evil folks serve a purpose and your reaction to them makes ripples. When you finally realize this is your ONLY time in this time itself.. its a travesty to waste it with negativity. My hope is that every one of you here that has expressed unhappiness realizes youre feeding a bad dog. It will consume you and bite others. Feed the good dog. Heff expressed that he sees this as a time of mutable change.. now its possible to effect real change for our people and the people that come after. Dont add to the badness and be a part of this negativity that is trying to envelop us all.


Every positive person has expressed the same thing in different ways.. the real key to being happy you are alive is hope and actually SEEING the world with hope. Your children are hope. Your wishes are hope. I have great hope that we will see something very positive in my lifetime.. which is now not all that long left. These are amazing times and I am thankful I am here to witness it.

reply to post by Advantage


YOU are what makes me happy to be alive. You have figured it out and it brightens my day every time i run into one of us!

Cheers and so very much Love my friend!


this thread was for you, you've said it better than i could ever hope to.

Originally posted by soulshn
reply to post by Advantage

 

YOU are what makes me happy to be alive. You have figured it out and it brightens my day every time i run into one of us!

Cheers and so very much Love my friend!


this thread was for you, you've said it better than i could ever hope to.

edit on 8/11/12 by soulshn because: (no reason given)

Aww thanks!! Im so happy to have "met" you! You never know who youll run into around here, eh??

What makes you happy to be alive?

Knowing there is someone out there who thinks like I do and is articulate enough to discuss things of mutual interest.

There's more, but I'll save it for now.