In pursuit of happiness

Good morning friends. Happy Diwali to all. It’s time for each and every one of us to be happy. Some may not notice that happiness is just around us. Some search for an extravagant happiness. Big or small happiness, it is all depend on us how we are going to feel that. I have read an article of one fashion designer on how he quest for happiness. Here’s how he express his story.

I believe you can see God anywhere - in your garden, on the road or by the seaside.

But since I like Gucci shoes, I don't think of God in connection with the label. I believe one can really be in love with luxury as well as be meditative, because one is not exclusive to the other in any way. But putting life on hold to go off on a journey in pursuit of happiness or even seeking spiritualism outside the realm of daily concerns would be a bit dull.

Life comes in many colors and one need to enjoy all of them. In India, there are very few strict spiritual templates and you can afford to believe anything without moving out of your cultural backdrop. It is a culture that believes in Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and the tantric ethos. I went to the Kumbh Mela recently and really got a sense of how diverse our culture is in its spirituality and beliefs in God. There is nothing like wrong or right except truth and honesty. I actually stopped living up to somebody else's expectations of me, though it came a bit late in life, but I am glad to have done it now. – The Times of India

(Ritu Kumar is a well-known fashion designer)

Devotion leads to Happiness (2)

Good Morning friends, we are talking Happiness through Devotions. We talk little of this in previous post. We continue our post with the same topic.

Begin your devotional time by quieting yourself. Take a few deep breaths and become still. Some people light a candle or say a simple prayer such as, “O God, open my heart to hear your message to me in the words I read.”

Then read a short passage in the Bible and some additional reading. A resource such as Daily Bread and The Upper Room can guide you in choosing scripture passages, and its witness from other believers can help you connect the words of the Bible with concerns of everyday life.

At the end of your reading time, be silent and wait to see what words, feelings, or images rise in your heart or tug at your thoughts. Notice what situations or people come to mind.

Consider how the words or images connect with your life; then pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to see what God may be saying to you through what you have read, thought, and felt.