Introducing: The Art of Happiness

Introducing: The Art of Happiness
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

November 22, 2008, My 41st Birthday, New York City:

The Art of Happiness

I’ve decided.

I’ve decided to celebrate my birthday by doing something and being someone positive; by giving back to this beautiful life and this wonderful world, so that others might feel as grateful as I am for being and feeling as alive, healthy and wise, as I feel today.

I’ve decided to begin a new blog dedicated to living a life in the pursuit of Happiness, Love and Positive Thinking. It is called The Art of Happiness (aofh/blogspot.com). It is an endeavor that is a long-time coming.

The blog promises not only to bring daily good news to its readers, but it will also inspire and show people how to make the most of our unified existence.

Chock full of wisdom, this blog will not only make you think, ponder, and appreciate all the great things in life, but it will also do its best to make you smile, feel, laugh and inspire you to do the same for others.

So, please help me celebrate by passing on the good news to all your friends and family! The official URL for the blog is: http://AofH.blogspot.com (AofH stands for Art of Happiness)

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To inaugurate the blog I am reposting a classic story and photo of mine, one of my favorites and one that perfectly summarizes why I am launching this new endeavor:

THIS IS MY GOD
August 5, 2005

I was lying in the kiddy pool on my back, admiring the deep blue sky, when I lifted this ball before me, and, immediately, I had my epiphany—perhaps, one of the greatest I have ever had.

*

An hour later, Enzo, my oldest son, asks me, "Papa, if you could have three super powers, what would they be?"

It took all but a mere moment for me to realize my answer.

"Well, first I would want the power to always by happy. Second, I would like the power to make others happy, especially those that are seemingly often angry, sad or otherwise discontent."

Alas, when I got stuck on thinking of a third superpower, Enzo interrupted me and blurted, "No Papa! Those aren’t super powers! You have to want powers like 'flying,' 'becoming invisible,' 'shooting fire,' or 'super-human strength'…"

“Oh,” I answered, “I guess I don’t know then,” and lied back again to soak in the sun that was shimmering upon the water, for I had decided that in the pursuit of both sanity and serenity, I was not going to begin a deep philosophical discussion with my six year old—not because he would not fathom its murky depths, but primarily because I knew he would likely take too avid of an interest and interminably ask "Why?" at every turn.

*

And it is not until now, upon this epistolary reflection, that I see that the raising of my deity and my response to my son’s hypothetical inquiry were in fact, indeed, connected.

Because, as I have surmised before, I do believe (indubitably I do) that a strong current of optimism runs through me—one that empowers me to believe in self-actualization, the fearsome force of the individual will, and the belief that there is a little good in almost everyone and everything. Moreover, if not more importantly, it is both my belief and my will to share this positive energy with others, if only to alight much the same power in them.

See the original post, with over 90 comments from fellow flickr users:
This is My God, August 5, 2005

See Related Story: Men For Others, November 7, 2008