Happiness

When I was in 6th grade I struggled with a desperate need to be accepted and liked, and in so doing I gave into peer pressure to start swearing and experimenting a couple of times with smoking. You know that my rebellious behavior was based on deep insecurities because by nature, I am a rule follower.

On a school field trip to Temple Square in Salt Lake City, our 6th grade class watched the LDS produced film, "Man's Search for Happiness." Okay put aside the weird possibility that such a religious experience was part of a school outing, I will go on to how this event changed the direction of my life.

Watching that film gave me a glimpse into a broader picture of life and its purposes. I was touched in such a way that gave me a strong desire to live a little better and have the courage to turn away from what I mistakenly thought would bring peer acceptance. That day was a turning point in my life.

My life has been a search for happiness. Sometimes I have made choices that have taught me what happiness DOESN'T look like and sometimes I have based my happiness on other people or circumstances that I don't have control over. All of these experiences have taught me much about happiness. I am grateful that I have had many moments in my life that remind me what happiness is and what it isn't. I am grateful that a movie serendipitously entitled "Man's Search for Happiness" helped me to see that my search was going in the wrong direction.