Five Simple Rules to be HAPPY

Information lasts only so long as someone cares about it.
-Ray Kurzweil
"The Singularity Is Near"

Today I am sharing a story shared with me by a dear friend named Mimi:

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied, "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time."

"Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged. It's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do."

"Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away...Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!"

"Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Twenty-five years ago today

April 24, 1986
Thursday

I learned today that there are two Directory Sales Representative positions open and available in Sacramento. If it doesn’t work out with Derek I will remember about these other opportunities.

I went with Stephanie Bautista to pick up the BBQ ribs at 11:15AM. She asked me to accompany her. It was nice to take a break out of my cubicle/desk. She’s sweet.

After work I took a long nap. The San Jose gals called me—specifically the one named Shari. We talked a bit and then I went to the gym. Mark was at the gym, of course. We talked a bit and did not make definitive plans for Friday or Saturday night.  Oh well… I’ve decided to ‘rest up’ this weekend anyway.

After my gym workout I went to see my Dad where we both enjoyed mom’s homemade tuna sandwiches together. We also sipped on apple juice with the sandwiches. For dessert Dad and I had ice-cream and vanilla wafers (with a tall glass of milk). A lot of good my stomach exercises have done after that meal.


I went home to my place and organized my stuff or my lunch meeting with Derek. I ironed clothes and hit the hay. Yawn.

"The most important thing is this:
To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."
-Charles Dubois