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Over the fall break, I was able to travel into the Adirondack Mountains with two of my closest friends to enjoy a few days of company as we hiked and had beautiful views. It was a much-needed time of spiritual reflection and emotional rest from the weariness of my everyday life. I was filled with peace and joy. When I returned to campus, though, I started to feel sad and alone.
I think most people have experienced something similar to what I felt then. There are moments in life where we feel incredibly high and full, but often they make the future more disappointing, rather than hopeful.
Recently, I have found myself wondering again and again what aspects of my life are under my control, and which are not. Is happiness a choice, or is it something that I may or may not be blessed with from time to time? To be honest, sadness is really tempting. I’m not saying that mental health conditions aren’t real, because I believe that they certainly are, but I also think that a certain amount of our happiness is what we allow it to be.
Instead of wallowing in perceived loneliness as I did homework alone for the last few days of fall break, I chose to use the quiet hours to reflect on how thankful I was for my friends and the opportunity that I had to spend time with them, and it made me happy. Instead of giving in to potentially lasting sorrow over other relationships that haven’t worked out the way I wanted them to, I choose to display joy outwardly in smiles, waves, and saying “hello,” and it has transformed into inward joy.
Sometimes, happiness is a choice. What’s stopping you from making it?
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