Paying attention...Sorta..........................

Around the time the universe was hinting me over the head, (the day after I heard the Priest on Dr. Oz's talk show) he had a guest that I had heard before. Not taking any chances on missing another message I got on-line during the show and ordered the guy's (David Kuo) book titled, "Tempting Faith." Do you know how easy it is to order used books on Amazon? Once you give them your information, you can order books with one simple click. Talk about encouraging impulse shopping! Good for them, dangerous for me! Anyway, the day before yesterday the book came in the mail, and I had totally forgot that I had ordered it. Now it is sitting on the table beside the chair I hang out in, taunting me as I have yet to pick it up and read it. I know there is something in it that will enrich my life, so why have I not picked the book up to find out what that something is? I tell myself I don't have time to read it for any length of time and I don't want to get into it and then go on vacation (it is a hard cover book and too heavy for carry-on is my excuse for that one. Besides one is suppose to read fluff on vacation, not serious stuff. Right?)

Okay, so, the other night we ordered Chinese, and this was my fortune:


"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."

Since when did they start putting such deep stuff in fortune cookies? Or am I just reading something into it? Maybe I just needed to be reminded of this simple little fact?

Well, one doesn't have to beat me over the head with said fortune cookie saying to get me to knock off for the rest of the night and "just be happy." To not do all the things that I had been planning to do. To just be happy to veg in front of the television catching up on all the nonsense that is on the tube. Nope... I had no problem doing this at all.

The following day, the artist's newsletter arrived and someone has written to him to ask why she needed to spend time on the "business/marketing" side of art when all she wanted to be doing was explore the creative side of art? His reply: "Unfortunately, our world is so constituted that it seldom pays individuals who merely dance (his metaphor for focusing only on creating art). This goes for most professions. A dentist who fixes only the teeth he feels like fixing, or wanders off to look into other mouths before he finishes the ones he has started, is soon looking for other employment."

While I found his example funny, I wasn't interested in exploring the message as I am still focused on "just be happy." He seems to want to send me back to the not as fun pursuit aspect. Shame on him...that letter went right into the trash folder and my fortune remains propped up beside my chair to remind me of just what I want to be reminded of. Who said I was manipulative/justifying/seeing only what I want to see? I'll get back into pursuit mode eventually, but right now I am revving up vacation mode so just leave me alone and let me be "just HAPPY" would you? In fact, why don't you join me? If misery can love company, then so can happiness. I'll give you the permission that you might not give to yourself.