Love and Happiness

With each new day, life is full of all kinds of new possibilities. With each breath taken, it brings new life for that moment. During hard times and struggle, it brings about a new strength and understanding.
Love and happiness are easy to attain for some. As in love, there are many types of love. Some can attain it easily while others struggle to give and receive it. Happiness works the same way. You choose who and how you love, you choose what brings you happiness. You seek out what you choose to feel at that moment.
On the wings of change is when you realize what you thought was love really wasn’t, or what made you happy before, no longer brings you happiness. Your heart will let you know just how strong your love is. When you move beyond the simple pleasures that brought you happiness, but now there is little or no effect, you have to ask yourself what has changed. It is at this point that some look for possessions to quench the thirst for happiness. True love and happiness cannot be bought or sold; it is a feeling deep within your heart and soul.
To have love and happiness requires you to first have self-love. To experience anything or anyone to their fullest, you have to know yourself and love yourself first. As we grow, our perceptions of what true love and happiness are. You don’t feel love the same as you did when you were 12, 20 or 40. Each experience helps us to form the true meaning for ourselves.
What you use to enjoy and brought you happiness might change throughout time. Love and happiness have many different levels. None of them are bad, they are all experiences. Here is an exercise to help you get in touch with your heart.
It is a beautiful summer day, the sun is shining and the weather is perfect; not too hot nor cold. You go outside to your beautiful garden; you sit down and admire all the beautiful flowers. Each flower is full of vibrant colors; the air is filled with their wonderful aroma. You close your eyes, you hear the birds chirping, and you take a few deep breaths. You envision the textures and the aroma fills your senses. Now imagine someone you love walking up to you in the garden. See how strong the stems are? See how vibrant the colors are. Now image someone you know walking up to your garden. This person you might be unsure of or question for some reason. How are the flowers? Are they still vibrant or have they wilted? If the flowers have wilted you have to figure out why they are wilted, is the love strained? Is it still love, or is the happiness there or is it gone?
This is a simple meditation exercise to help you see straight to your heart, for some people it will work, it depends on how fine-tuned you are to yourself. Something that you assume is making you feel happy or feel love might not be bringing out the best in your heart. When you see the people that you love, the flowers are bright and your sense of smell is heightened. This happens when you see your children, spouse, grandchild, your grandparents or your best friend. Try the exercise and see how wonderful your garden looks from your heart.