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LIVE, LAUGH, LEARN, LOVE: Happiness and success are not as difficult to achieve as some may lead you to believe. One does not have to be born with a silver spoon in his mouth (Sen. Kennedy) to achieve happiness and or success. It is often said, and even more often misunderstood that money does not create happiness, and if I can take it one step further, happiness can easily be achieved without money. There are four, cheap (free) ways to achieve happiness: live, laugh, learn, and love. Jimmy Valvano said in a speech at the ESPY Awards, as he was dying of cancer, that people should cry, laugh, and think (in not so many words) every day. LIVE Too often we go throughout our days without living life. It is true that with work, family, school, etc. that life moves fast. It is important to take a few moments out of every day to enjoy life: live life. It often times takes tragedy or sadness for us to realize how brilliant live truly is. It often takes death and a funeral to bring distant relatives close together, when in our day of technology and cell phones, we can easily keep in contact with friends and family around the world. Too often, we get bogged down with the hustle and bustle of daily life to experience the true joys of life. We must have fun. Fun does not have to be dirty, raunchy, vulgar, or obscene, like MTV says it is. Living life, and I mean actually living and enjoying life can be as simple as enjoying nature with your family, going to a ball game with the guys, or reliving the "Glory Days" of life. None of the previously mentioned activities requires wealth, vulgarity, or obscenities. Instead of getting angry during rush hour or at your boss, plan something fun to do this weekend with an old friend or with your family. LAUGH Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is a universal language. Laughter is contagious. Laughter is a key element to happiness. Do not let life get you down. When you are living life to its fullest, it is important to laugh at life too. I know that a lot of us lose our tempers too often than we should. Instead of getting mad, laugh. When the Democrats act like a bunch of retarded monkeys when President Bush gives an eloquent, powerful, patriotic State of the Union Address, do not get mad, laugh. Instead of tearing your hair when you hear lies and deception coming out the mouths of the Hollywood elite, such as Michael Moore, laugh. Laugh at the fact that Michael Moore actually wrote a book about fat white guys (and it is not an autobiography). Sometimes life throws us curve balls, and we are saddled with sadness and anger. The quickest way to get out of the ruts that we face is to laugh. See a movie. Go to a comedy club. Watch a sitcom (check out the Entertainment page-Must See TV-for a list of the funniest sitcoms on TV). We must live and laugh and enjoy life. LEARN The Apprentice has college grads competing against high school grads this season. This group of high school grads has a "net worth" of three times more than the group of college graduates. This is, obviously, not a microcosm of life. College is not for everyone. This being said, there if plethora of alternatives to a college education that one can chose to continue to learn. Basically, you do not have to go to college, or grad school, etc. to "learn." Read. Go to your local library, get a library card, and read as many books as you want...for free! Instead of rotting your mind watching MTV, VH1, or CNN, watch the History Channel, Discovery Channel, CNBC and actually learn something! If you have children, read to them. If you have children, teach your kids about life by talking to them and getting involved in their school activities. Instead of reading trite literary hacks, such as the USA Today, People Magazine, or Entertainment Weekly, pick up a magazine and learn how to fix up your house, tune up your car, or invest your money. Again, learning does not mean you have to spend thousands of dollars to learn calculus, chemistry, or physics in college. The best way to learn anything from sports to politics to current events to entertainment...you guessed it...read XEKE.com! LOVE This may seem to be the toughest key to success and happiness, but it is actually the easiest. First of all, love God. It is very easy to love God, and the most important thing we can do in our lives. Once a relationship is built with God, then you must love yourself. Someone cannot love others, if they do not love themselves. After we have established love for God and ourselves, love your family and your friends like you love yourself. MTV tries to define love as "hooking up" with as many people as you can, or searching for the man of your dreams...assuming you yourself are a man. Once you have lived life, laughed, and learned, you will find many more things to love. If you partake in previously mentioned suggestions, such as enjoying nature with family, going to a comedy club, or learning how to do something new, you will find more "loves" in life, and your life will be more fulfilling. Alan Jackson quoted 1st Corinthians when he said "Faith, hope and love are some good things he (God) gave us, and the greatest is love." Love is the most pure emotion that humans have, and combining living life, laughing, learning with love, happiness and success can be achieved. |
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