Finding time to be happy

I saw a quote once that said "It was a dark and stormy night, but I chose to ENJOY it!" I think it's a good policy. Life is filled with ups and downs and craziness. However, there is always sufficient time for that which matters most. For me, the most important things in life are church, family, friends, and education. Besides those, there is room for the smaller things which make life so much fun. We can and should find time for the non-essential things we like to do, like watching movies, going on walks, getting exercise, listening to music, dancing, laughing, reading really good books, and writing. It's these little things that make life enjoyable. And we are meant to find enjoyment and happiness in life. It's not supposed to be boring. As my professor taught on the first day of my world religions class, we should find enjoyment in learning and we should learn because we love it. For me, school is not something I want to get out of the way so I can move on with life. This, right here and right now, is my life and I want to enjoy it. Of course I have to do things I don't enjoy as much, but I can handle that because it's part of living and becoming a better person, I suppose. However, life is a gift and I think that it's my choice whether or not I enjoy each day. And by choosing to enjoy each day as it comes, I can find lasting happiness. It's not always easy, but considering that the alternative is unhappiness or a depression that I bring on myself, I like the first choice much more.