Five Simple Rules to Be Happy

This story was sent to me by our fellow job seeker, Howie Lyhte. He was right, it did make me smile.  I'm sharing it with you in the hope that it also makes you smile and encourages you to focus on that which is most important. - Dan.

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A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is
fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed
and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home
today.  His wife of 70 years recently
passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently
in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was
ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a
visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been
hung on his window.

'I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an
eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait. 'That
doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied. Happiness is something you
decide on ahead of time.

'Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the
furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love
it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can
spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body
that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful  for the ones that do.

'Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll
focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.  Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what
you've put in.

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of
happiness in the bank account of memories!'

Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.

I am still depositing.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.