I’ve been perusing the net this morning and have found some very interesting sites about the disaster in the Gulf and what it could mean for long-term chaos and trauma.  It’s the perplexing nature of our planet that we go through cycles of misery and triumph, but through the midst of the ups and downs of the experiences of our lives there is a thread of logic that the planets help to provide.  

But in the meantime, we still have to deal with the crises in our own lives, whether they are visited upon us by outside forces or from unresolved psychological issues.  So I was tickled to see this photo on Joanna Powell Colbert’s blog, which really ways it all.

Essentially, the secret to happiness is to find what’s not working, and change it.  Not that this process is always easy!  First you have to discover WHAT isn’t working, and then you have to uncover the patterns that tell you WHY it’s not working.  Then you have to change those patterns and replace them with more effective attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that will help to bring about a different result.

Albert Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”  Yes, it cannot be denied that there are challenges surrounding us, and some of us are going through severe trials such as terminal diseases and devastating financial breakdowns.  But in the midst of these trials there is a thread of peace and wisdom to be experienced, and within that wisdom lies a joy in the heart that is beyond the reach of our day to day world.