Happiness

[Michelle]

What makes you happy? This goes along with the whole "good life"
discussion. There are lots of things, but for me I would have to say
that number one on my list right now is gratitude. I have had a
really, truly bad few weeks in which much of my life fell apart. I
had to get a medical withdrawal from school, thereby pushing my
graduation date back even further(and I have already been here since
the Stone Age), I tried to go to NY for the Model UN and got sick and
had to come back after a day after working extremely hard to prepare
for it, and that's just for starters. Yet I am upbeat and happy
because I am so grateful for my life and how much I have(non-material
things). I highly recommend reflecting on this as it makes hard times
easier. Even in my darkest moment(and I have had some times of true
darkness and despair recently), I wouldn't trade lives with ANYONE.
It reminds me of a quote I sometimes sign my emails with:
"L'ora e' fuggita...
E muoio disperato
E non ho amato mai tanto la vita."
-Excerpt from "Tosca"
Rough Translation:
Time has fled, and I die in despair;
I die in despair,
Yet never have I loved life so much.