A beautiful elegantly dressed woman told her doctor that she was depressed and her life was meaningless. After a moment’s thought, the medico told her he would ask Mary who cleaned his medical practice to say to her how she found happiness.

Turning to his client, the thoughtful doctor continued: ‘All I want you to do is listen to her.’

The psychiatrist called the elderly lady who cleaned the office floors and asked her to share her story with his client. So, the old lady put down her broom, sat on a chair and told her story…

‘My husband died of cancer. Three months later my only son was killed by a car. I had nobody.  I had nothing left. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat, I never smiled at anyone. I even thought of taking my life.

Then one evening, a little kitten followed me home from work. Somehow, I felt sorry for the tiny creature. As it was cold outside, I let the kitten in, got milk and the kitten licked the plate clean. Then it rubbed against my leg and I smiled for the first time in months.

Then I stopped to think, if helping a little kitten could make me smile, maybe doing something for people could make me happy. So, the next day I baked some biscuits and took them to a neighbor who was sick in bed.

‘Every day I tried to do something nice for someone. It made me so happy to see them happy. Today I don’t know of anybody who sleeps better than I do. I have found happiness by giving it to others.’

When she heard her story, the rich lady cried. She had everything money could buy but lost the things money could not buy. The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others can be because of you. Happiness is not a destination. It’s a journey.  Happiness is not tomorrow, it’s now. Happiness is not a dependency, it’s a decision. Happiness is who you are, not what you have.’

QUOTE: ‘Happiness isn’t having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.’

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 GREAT SAYINGS OF HISTORY Michael Walsh Compilation. A quiet room in a rustic cottage overlooking a pastoral scene who would you choose as your soul companion? Be inspired by hundreds of wise and memorable comments uttered by history’s greatest thinkers. LINK TO BOOK https://tinyurl.com/9js5xtz5