Please click on photo to enlarge.

I took this photo on a warm afternoon in a park overlooking Rome.
The people lounging on the grass, the boys playing, and a group of girls talking and taking photos all looked happy, blissfully, comfortably happy.
Were they all tourists like me? I don’t think so. The only language I heard was Italian.
It was a weekday, but there they were just enjoying the warmth of sunshine and friendship.

I think they might actually enjoy their lives, the everydayness of their lives more than many of us do.
Maybe the Italians with their cappuccino, gelato, and a mid-day siesta are on to something.

What does it take to make you happy?

One of the things I love most about my husband is that he knows how to be happy.
I’ve watched him over the years and here are a few of his secrets.

1. Do your best and commit the rest.
He works hard and smart and then leaves the results with God.
And he likes to play.
Golf, cards, board games, a great game he taught me called Jotto, whatever, it’s all about the FUN.
I’m convinced that part of his success as a Dad was precisely because he loves to play.
As a pastor he reminds angst filled parents that when our kids turn out good we take too much credit,
and when they don’t we take too much blame.
He tells them to ‘do their best and commit the rest’.

2. Laugh every chance you get.
He increases his chances of laughing by hanging out with people he enjoys.
There’s a time to play the supportive friend, but it can’t be ALL THE TIME.
It makes me smile when I hear him laughing at a joke on Letterman or Morning Joe.
He says one of the things that attracted him to me was my sense of humor.
Then he laughs.

3. Learn to be content with what you have and who you are.
He’s learned the secret of contentment.
He trusts God to provide.
He’s cultivated humility which frees him from constantly seeking the approval of others.
Knowing he’s found God’s plan and purpose for his life is a big part of his contentment.
Bonus for us both ~ he’s also content with his wife:)

4. Be nice.
The woman who introduced us years ago said,”He’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet”.
It wasn’t false advertising.
Being nice just makes a person happier.
Not to mention how good it makes others around him feel.
It’s common sense, but in our competitive society we sometimes forget.

5. Eat the ice cream.
My husband’s father was a candy maker and my husband became an ice cream maker.
I used to worry about his cholesterol, but I’m not his Mom or his Doctor ~ besides,
he’s gonna eat it whether I try to police him or not.
Why rain on his parade?
Self-control and discipline are valuable, but too much can make us dour.
Have you ever seen a kid with an ice cream cone who wasn’t happy?

Again, the Italians can show us the way.

A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22

I decided to Google ‘secrets of happiness’ just for fun.
Turns out my little analysis of my hubby turned up 5 points that are all part of WebMD’s list.

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/at-last-all-secrets-of-happiness-explained

All the Blogging experts say I’m suppose to have some call to action, some way to engage the reader so you’ll comment or share this post on Facebook or Twitter.
I’m sorry, but that’s baloney.
Nothing here is earth shattering or groundbreaking.
I came across a photo in my iPhoto Library and I’d read the quote on True Happiness yesterday.
This morning I heard my husband laughing at Morning Joe and it all just fell together as I realized what a blessing his happiness is to me.

I hope you’re happy.
I hope those you love are happy.
None of us can control all the circumstances and happenings in our lives.
As a result, happiness is fragile.
But you have to want it, right?
If you aim at nothing, you’re sure to hit it, so why not aim at happiness?