The pursuit of happiness

My childhood lessons on how to pursue happiness:

Growing up with the parents I had was a pure blessing. I'm not saying it was easy or all roses. As a matter of fact, it was most likely the difficulties that brought sight to the blessings.

From as long as I can remember I was told that I could have anything I wanted in life. "As long as I was willing to pay the price."

My happiness was not in the hands of any other person. My happiness was my own choice.

It was not the responsibility of anyone else to provide me with anything I wanted.

Rest and recreation were the rewards of hard work, not an entitlement.

If I wanted to further my education I should remember just that: It is "My" education and I should pay for it.

If I allowed anyone else to do my work for me, by natural law I would expect to grow weaker.

Nurturing compassion for others was as natural as breathing but pity for them was selfish.

Loving someone is a forever thing. That does not mean you can be together forever.

Life brings pain, sorrow, heartbreak and other negative events, Do not allow them to defeat you, learn to deal with them. Put them behind you and keep moving forward.

Every day is a gift and not to be enjoyed at the expense of another.

Hard manual labor is equal in every way to any less menial pursuit.

I have done my best to pass that on to others.