Here is your Friday STORY on: HAPPINESS: QUOTE: “Be happy with what you’ve got, rather than waste all your life striving for something that you expect to make you happy.” That quote is saying be happy now, rather than wait until tomorrow. You may recall saying something like this, “I’ll be happy when I get my new car tomorrow.” What is wrong with being happy now? As a general rule of thumb, every upon every piece of written material that encourages you to be more prosperous in life, in both money and health; starts with motivating you to be happy. Happiness attracts happiness. Happiness opens doors you never thought existed. Whatever you have been striving for, whether that be for something in the next week, month, year or decade, be happy first and watch that goal become more achievable by the second. Make the most of what you have, smile at the very fact that you are alive and well. Appreciate the small things, offer love and affection to the big things; you’ll notice that you become a magnet for more happiness. If you cannot see anything to be happy for, try turning a negative into a positive or if you can turn a sour moment that becomes a test of endurance into a cherished moment, you'll become an inventor of happiness. In fact... just remember this next story, it’s a gem. CRACKED or PERFECT A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house. The cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts, " the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again he expressed his feeling to the water bearer. He replied by saying, "Did you notice that flowers were only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house." (Unknown Author). QUOTE: "No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.” (Barbara De Angelis)