“Are you happy?” asked my grade 8 Social Studies teacher—Mr Merrit—every week.
Every week I’d pause, check with my soul, and tell him the truth. Yes. I was happy despite nightly stomachaches and daily fears. I’d recently left my schizophrenic mother, moved to a foster home, and was constantly worried my mom would show up unannounced and crazy-looking at my new school.
Mr Merrit popped into my head last week when a reader called Sonja asked if I was happy with Ruby (my camper van). Yes! When Sonja asked how I decided which RV to buy, I realized how long it took to feel my way to my happy place—on the road with Ruby—and how many times I got lost on the way.
In What’s the Best Camper Van or RV for Retired/Semi-Retired Women? I share how I decided on Ruby, and offer tips for making an enormous life change that could lead to the happiest place in the world.
Are you happy?
Sometimes we have to feel our way to our happy places. We don’t always just land in a camper van, paddock or relationship and voila! Happiness.
We get lost on the way. We fall down, get hurt, and even hurt others.
The most important thing is to keep sending out feelers. For instance, I always loved horses but believed they lived in a land far, far away. I thought horses were for cowboys and cowgirls, pastures and paddocks.
But I sent out a feeler when Ruby and I were in Arizona. I emailed the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show and asked if they needed volunteers. A week later, I was working with real Arabians and skilled horsewomen.
I loved it, so I sent out another feeler. Then another, and another. Not all of them turned out, but some of them did. And because of those feelers, I now know that standing in a paddock and waiting for a horse to come to me—rather than trying to “catch” him—is my happiest place on earth.
How about you? What would you say if Mr Merrit asked you what feelers you’re sending out?
May your road to happiness be smooth enough to keep you motivated, and rocky enough to keep you challenged. And may you find joy and peace in every twist and turn.
With love,
Laurie
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