Yesterday was my wife's birthday. She is now the same age as I am. How old is that (do you ask?) I say ... how dare you! Anyway, at the end of the day I asked how her birthday was, and I got an answer I wasn't expecting. Tracey said it was just like any other day. I responded by arguing that "it wasn't just like any other day" at first, but then the thought occurred to me that maybe she was correct.
It's great to celebrate the day you were born and be grateful to live another year; the question is whether or not it serves as a source for true happiness. Maybe at first when we're babies, even to the age of 21 (when we're legal!) or 25 (when our auto insurance rates drop - that's a great day!) But I'm inclined to believe that there are better things that lead to true happiness other than turning 38 years old (oops!)
My son Leighton enjoys baking, so I asked him if he'd bake a cake for his mother. He asked me "why ... mom doesn't even like cake." Yes, she's a weirdo that doesn't enjoy sweets like the rest of the entire world. I then explained to him that it doesn't matter, and that the point of baking her a cake is for her to "feel special". Her happiness is not the chance to "eat cake", but instead was knowing that her son baked a cake especially for her. Like clockwork, she did not eat any of the cake - but the smile of joy was unmistakable.
Last week, I spent the week in Minneapolis for the first time. Before we returned to the airport for our trip home, we decided to visit the "Mall of America" - the largest mall in the USA. A mall with a roller coaster? and an aquarium with 50+ sharks? That's balla!! What was even more interesting than that was looking at the people in the mall. A fellow consultant that was with me commented how most of the people there were frowning and looked very unhappy. Another consultant said that's probably why they're at the mall, to fill the void they have in their lives. It was great reminder to me where the source of my happiness really comes from. From my wife, my family, and my friends (including my fellow Magenicons).
I've heard it said best when a friend said "People are much more important than things!" If you ever find yourself depressed or unhappy, it's time to take a look at the relationships you have with the people around you - especially your family and friends. You could be pushing away the people that love you the most. Or maybe you're just surrounded by the wrong people, who "say" they're your friends but will not be there when the chips are down. Or maybe you're just feeling alone. I testify that you're never alone; our Heavenly Father and our elder brother Jesus are always there for us. And if we follow his example and communicate with him, he will lead us away from the things that only pacify us for a short time, and to the people that will give us joy in our lives forever.