http://blog.interflora.co.uk/the-best-purple-flowers/

…’If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. (13th Article of Faith)

The elusive happiness. They say it is out there. I have been to both the book shop and the library and seen books on it. Maybe if i opened the books it would be inside. I tried that one too and it wasn’t. There was nothing in those books that would make me smile at all. In fact many of them were complicated and confusing.

Often we search for things that have no lasting value and think that will make us happy. Or we believe or the world makes us believe that if we climb further and further up that corporate ladder we will find happiness at the top. But really i have found happiness is in the little things. Often in the things that are right in front of us.

The part of the 13th Article of Faith that i have quoted is part of what we as Latter-day Saints believe in. I also believe that when we seek for things that are virtuous, lovely, of good report or praiseworthy we will find happiness to our souls and that is what really counts.

To start the week of gently here are a few things that make me happy.

• Art museums
• A good book
• A good film
• Being with my children
• My cats
• Flowers
• Being with my friends
• Being with the women at church
• Knitting and then giving it away
• Talking to my mother

Here is a question for you – If someone was to ask you what you were reading or doing or what the last film you saw, where did you go out at the weekend, would you try to change the subject would you be embarrassed to answer?

Often we try to protect our children from the bad things and the ‘not too bad’ things in the world because we want them to be happy, but yet we do not set the same standards for ourselves. There are many virtuous and lovely things in the world and this year i want to be find them (more) and embrace them and find happiness too.

What will make you happy this year?