Father’s Day is right around the corner, and in honour of Dads everywhere I would like to share with you my thoughts on the first chapter of the book The Core of Happiness: a Novel about the Quest for Happiness by an inspirational Dad and author Rudy Wietfeldt.
Rudy Wietfeldt has been faced with some astounding tragedies in his life, for which my heart feels much compassion. I appreciate his resilience and think that his work to help others discover what happiness truly means to them is something to be thankful for.
Last Sunday, in keeping with my desire to do something enjoyable every day, as well as indulge in some much needed weekend relaxation, I shut the door to my bedroom, pulled a chair up to the window, opened it and let the sunlight and fresh air pour in while I sat down to read chapter 1.
Set in a small town bakery shop discussions of happiness pursue while the characters enjoy their coffees. It immediately brought back memories of my job working at a small town coffee shop. One of my favorite parts of the job was the happiness that flooded in the door each day with the local people, who over time I began to know very well. There is something special brought out in people when coffees are enjoyed together.
Finding positivity to add to your life was part of the characters’ discussion (Wietfeldt 28), and reading reminders of what happiness really means down to its core was just that for me. We are surrounded by “natural joy” in life that is there waiting for us to absorb, an easy thing to do simply by being conscious of it (22).
Believing in yourself, thinking happily, and remembering to let go of judgement because happiness is person dependent are all wonderful messages that I was reminded of (20), as well as the important fact that you can choose to view your life as a happy one even through times of sadness (28). Sadness in life does not negate happiness and certainly does not mean you have failed at living happily. Often in sadness happiness is born because it opens our eyes to true happiness, which very often we shut out.
The reference to The Little Engine That Could with its powerful message to believe in yourself only opened my heart further, because that is my son’s favorite book of choice right now (25). You know the book you read over and over again to your child each day, because that is the one they pick every time? J I was reminded of how special that time together is, something that gets taken for granted now and then. As well as the incredible fact that as a parent I have the ability to help teach my children to see life as full from the very start. A very significant and uplifting tool, that can help enhance their lives.
The messages stayed with me even after I stopped reading and left for the mall to run some weekly errands. Instead of seeing all the things I don’t have while shopping, I looked at the contents in the mall as “all the things I can live without” as Plato was so fantastically quoted (17). When passion and words unite it is a wonderful thing!
So much happiness can be found in community, just as the community of characters at the Olde Bakery Shoppe reminded me. Community is something I treasure that you provide me in sharing this blog. Here tucked away in this corner of the internet, I love that we can share discussions of life and living well, and if you bring along a cup of coffee or a mug of your favorite tea we can enjoy it together.
If you could pick anyone, who would you take out for a coffee date?
Rudy Wietfeldt has been faced with some astounding tragedies in his life, for which my heart feels much compassion. I appreciate his resilience and think that his work to help others discover what happiness truly means to them is something to be thankful for.
Last Sunday, in keeping with my desire to do something enjoyable every day, as well as indulge in some much needed weekend relaxation, I shut the door to my bedroom, pulled a chair up to the window, opened it and let the sunlight and fresh air pour in while I sat down to read chapter 1.
Set in a small town bakery shop discussions of happiness pursue while the characters enjoy their coffees. It immediately brought back memories of my job working at a small town coffee shop. One of my favorite parts of the job was the happiness that flooded in the door each day with the local people, who over time I began to know very well. There is something special brought out in people when coffees are enjoyed together.
Finding positivity to add to your life was part of the characters’ discussion (Wietfeldt 28), and reading reminders of what happiness really means down to its core was just that for me. We are surrounded by “natural joy” in life that is there waiting for us to absorb, an easy thing to do simply by being conscious of it (22).
Believing in yourself, thinking happily, and remembering to let go of judgement because happiness is person dependent are all wonderful messages that I was reminded of (20), as well as the important fact that you can choose to view your life as a happy one even through times of sadness (28). Sadness in life does not negate happiness and certainly does not mean you have failed at living happily. Often in sadness happiness is born because it opens our eyes to true happiness, which very often we shut out.
The reference to The Little Engine That Could with its powerful message to believe in yourself only opened my heart further, because that is my son’s favorite book of choice right now (25). You know the book you read over and over again to your child each day, because that is the one they pick every time? J I was reminded of how special that time together is, something that gets taken for granted now and then. As well as the incredible fact that as a parent I have the ability to help teach my children to see life as full from the very start. A very significant and uplifting tool, that can help enhance their lives.
The messages stayed with me even after I stopped reading and left for the mall to run some weekly errands. Instead of seeing all the things I don’t have while shopping, I looked at the contents in the mall as “all the things I can live without” as Plato was so fantastically quoted (17). When passion and words unite it is a wonderful thing!
So much happiness can be found in community, just as the community of characters at the Olde Bakery Shoppe reminded me. Community is something I treasure that you provide me in sharing this blog. Here tucked away in this corner of the internet, I love that we can share discussions of life and living well, and if you bring along a cup of coffee or a mug of your favorite tea we can enjoy it together.
If you could pick anyone, who would you take out for a coffee date?
Wietfeldt, Rudy. The Core of Happiness. Renaissance Publishing, November 2008.
