Wednesday 30 May 2012

The Secret of Happiness

My husband is no writer; not even an aspiring one. He goes out of his way, usually, to avoid putting pen to paper. It rather surprised me, therefore, when he started a Facebook page. It quite astonished me when he told me that he wrote on it about what he believes is the secret of happiness.

This is a pearl of wisdom that just has to be shared. I hope he'll be quoted widely and often. I may have paraphrased slightly, but without changing the meaning in any way:
"To ensure your children grow up happy, teach them to want little, listen much, and speak only when they have something to say that will make someone else happy."
I guess he learned those rules well as a child. It was pointless wanting anything, growing up as he did. He certainly would have had to listen much, sharing a home with some 90 kids from age 7 to 12, then between 19 and 21 other boys from age 12 to 15, then joining the army and living in barracks. Surrounded constantly by so many, he probably didn't get a lot of opportunity to speak and it's likely he learned quickly not to say anything that upset someone.

The Pencil Case is his story - hopefully to be published soon.
Check it out at http://.thepencilcase.rainbowriter.com or visit  http://www.authonomy.com/books/44295/the-pencil-case/.

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