Happiness

"If you want happiness for an hour -- take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day -- go fishing.
If you want happiness for a month -- get married.
If you want happiness for a year -- inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime -- help someone else.

-- Chinese proverb"

I just copied this from another blog. The writer appears to be a helper, as I probably am. It's so much easier for me to help someone else than to help myself. I suspect that I process a lot of resistance, etc. when helping others. Then, it feels easier to handle my own load.

For instance, I'm helping a friend do some research for her work. The research topic is not one I have ever been interested in. However, I am learning more and more about my own research process as I begin looking for information. By helping her, I am getting some needed routine in my Internet surfing. Now, there is a point to my internet surfing. Obviously overstating the case here because I have a lot of interests and do considerable personal research. However, my point is: my research never goes anywhere or means anything to anyone but me.

I guess I want to impact others...or is it as simple as wanting to be noticed? No, that's not it. How about wanting to make a contribution? When I owned my own CPA firm, every day I felt like I was making a contribution to my clients (helping them achieve peace of mind, their goals, etc.). Since my accident, I have been so involved in my own rehab that I have not had much of an impact anywhere.

Intellectually, I know this is not true. However, emotionally, this feels true.