Is “Happy Ever After” Possible

This is a question I want an answer to and I invite you to respond to. 

You see, I have been sick all weekend.  After I posted my last blog (about sending my daughter off to World Youth Day) I proceeded to get sick.  In between running to the bathroom I have spent the last 48 hours either sleeping or watching TV.  Movies to be exact.  And between scary crap (which I don’t watch) and beat’em up movies (which I rarely watch) the only movies to be found were stories of princes and maidens …. fairy tale type stories where everyone lives happily ever after.  Now, I must admit I slept through some of the endings but I know the story line well enough to know how things ended (and in truth I had seem most of the movies before). 

Ok, before I go any further I know what I was watching was fantasy.  And these are stories that must have a clean ending or people won’t pay to watch.  And yes, I am a person of faith and I do believe that we, if we have lived a life worthy of Christ, will spend all eternity in every lasting joy.  What I speak of is the now.  In this life of struggle, disappointment, sin, and hard work will we know joy?  Not an lifetime of silly happiness but a sense of positive strength and righteousness.

Now I have a friend who will tell me that it is all a decision and I do agree with that.  We must, each day choose to make a decision how we will face the world, how we will enterprete moments and events.  Happiness is not a gift as much as it is a choice.  But making that choice each day takes energy and what if the energy isn’t there? 

This same friend would then tell me that happiness comes from within us.  We can enjoy moments of people bringing joy into our world but the day to day, the underlying happiness that is the foundation to our days and ways comes from within.  And again I would agree with that.  I don’t know this is yet a lived truth for me but one I am trying to learn — to look within for meaning; to look within for direction; to look within for value and joy.   But again, that takes a lot of energy because I am having to “rewire” 50 years of learning… and what if I don’t have the energy any more?

In the beginning of the book of Genesis we hear of God’s creating the world.  I think it is important to remember that God created humanity as a community — two.  There was not just one man… one person.  God created people to be there for one another.  At least that is my educated theory.  Why do you think we are mandated to attend Sunday Mass?  To remind us that we cannot do this alone and to remind us there are other people out there to help us along the way.  Problem is that instead of working on the “happy ever afters” of others most people use others and things to find or create a momentary “happy ever after” for themselves. 

I am not afraid to admit that I need other people in my life.  I need you to help me and I need you to let me help you.  Maybe then, together we can create a “happy ever after” for each other.  I remain,  your servant in Christ.

Theresa