Shifting to Happiness

"I wish I'd let myself be happier."

One of the top five regrets of the dying is this desire for happiness. 

Some people have the awareness that happiness was within their grasp if they had only been able to let themselves have it.

It took me a long time to find my place of joy. I don't worry any more that I will have that regret.

That reminds me of the old story of the Buddhist monk who asks their students as they strolled in nature how heavy they thought the large rock they passed was. The student replied, "Oh very, very heavy. I doubt I could lift it." The monk replied, "But it is very, very light if you do not pick it up."

I always felt compelled to pick up every rock, even every boulder. Somehow, somewhere along the way, I stopped picking them up. I find myself less and less interested in picking up even the pebbles anymore. 

I consider it a perk of eldering. I just prefer going for the path of ease. Alot of things that used to matter don't anymore. 

I haven't given up; I just have shifted slightly. I like this place.

What rocks can you put back down? What boulders can you pass up? Can you use the pebbles to seed your garden?