As you grow older your theories change – that’s what I learned today 🙂
It’s 7: 13 PM on day 415 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, tweet about my Clean Water For All Campaign – no luck other than the donation Chrissy (@ChrissyPappas) made yesterday – thanks again Chrissy :)–publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself All-Bran Flakes with banana for brunch, tweet about my campaign some more–still no luck – watch TV, feed myself a baked bean sandwich and grilled chicken for dinner and brush my teeth once more.
Today I read a tweet to me from Amber-Lee (@girlygrizzly) which said I’m SOOOOO sick, but doin! How are YOU doing? Are we getting closer? Are you happy? I’ve been loving your site lately… and I asked myself am I happy to which the answer was yes because four of the following components two of which – gratitude and giving – were components in my original happiness formula come together six out of seven days:
1. Being present: I never think I wonder what my life would been like if I could walk because it’s pointless it won’t serve me in any way although that doesn’t stop my mother from saying things like if my daughter could walk she could have done so many things in front of me when no one else is around.
2. Having faith: I don’t know the Bible off by heart and I am not perfect but over the last couple of years I have learned not to question God after all He has done more with my life than I could have think about it I can’t even go to the bathroom by myself and yet I wake up every day and try to change the world if that’s not God working through me I don’t know what is.
3. Gratitude: In today world where it’s all about accumulation of money and material objects I have found that it’s not how much we have that matters but rather how much we are grateful for my dad is the perfect example of this he has his family, a job, a house, a car, basically everything you would need to live a great life but since all he can see is what he doesn’t have he might as well not have even the things he has.
4. Giving: Once you see all that you have by being grateful you will naturally want others to have as much or more than you do so you will give and when you do give you will realize that that hole in your heart you’ve been trying to fill with things could only be filled by the joy of giving.
Are we connecting on Twitter? If not, say hi at http://twitter.com/Nisha360
If you’ve given to my cause or you can’t give now, please help me by sharing my cause with others. You can tweet about it like my friend Stan Faryna. This is the tweet he uses: @Nisha360 is a brave, smart young woman trying to make a better world for us all. Please help her do an amazing thing. http://bit.ly/hC7vOu
Stan’s very sweet for saying so, but feel free to write what reflects you best.
Thanks to all my friends out there who are helping me make my dream come true: to make a better world for all of us!
Nisha!
What a surprise today to have you mention that tweet… I am glad. You are a ray of light for me and you keep me centered, “Stay the Path.”
Your formula for happiness is perfect in it’s simplicity. Gratitude+Giving=Happiness. I know we all have different ways and traditions but seriously? I feel sorry for your parents. Period. To not see, appreciate, acknowledge and treasure the gift they were given in you. (I’m a cranky sort of girl, Nisha. I’d kinda like to bonk their heads together and rattle something back into place.)
Being Present. (How strange for me to read those words again today…) This is a tricky one, I think. Many people may not realize this is the sneaky one that may allow you to fool yourself. On my Inspiration Board, one of the quotes I have is “You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.” I’m here. I’m here, not there beside you, but I’ll be here, Nisha, thinking of you. Praying for you, hoping you’ll pray for me as well. I am trying.
Side note, this is His Plan. If He had made you able to walk, Nisha, you may not have come to His light to spread His Word, as soon or at all. It is all His Plan. Keep Him in your heart, I know you are in and part of His.
Faith. Faith sure allows us to be so much stronger than even should be fathomable, doesn’t it?! ☺Keep your faith, my lovely friend. He is there, right next to you. I have a new book, I have been using since last year. The Message by Eugene H. Peterson and I really love it.
Gratitude. I am living with an Attitude of Gratitude. This is a new one for me, Janet Callaway said these words the first time I heard them (online). It was like someone throwing open the curtains on all the windows, illumination! Every day, since I first heard these words, have been better days than any that had come before my Attitude of Gratitude.
Giving. I have always considered myself a giver and others have said that about me and to me. But it wasn’t until within the last few years (again!!) when I began to read My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers (a HUGE favorite of mine!), that I realized it is so important to God, Himself, that we give. (wow. really, I didn’t know that- I mean other than the obvious!)
I am learning, Nisha. You are one of my blessings. You, a small young lady of 20 (I wont say short years) years old, and you are already so much further in His Plan for you, so much closer to being ready for the direction He’ll send you next, for the work He has chosen for you to do when the well begins to be dug. I am so proud to know you, even as lightly as I am sure I’ve brushed the surface.
Please know and remember Nisha, you have a friend in Alaska. You have touched my heart and no matter what I will never forget what I have learned from your example.
((Hugs))
and
In GOD I trust.
~Amber-Lee
Yes faith does make you stronger and as for my parents they are the way they are I’ve given up trying to get them to change their minds about me. Thank you for your kind words 🙂
Yours truly,
Nisha
PS. You’re right if i could walk I probably wouldn’t be doing all that I’m doing 🙂