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October 3rd.
2007
STUMBLING ON HAPPINESS
This past Saturday I arrived
at ECOR relatively early to make sure that all was in order and most
specifically to warm the building for the ladies showing up for their
retreat. My plan was to welcome the participants and the retreat leader
and then zip off to a long list of commitments.
When retreat organizer, Diana Heimerdinger arrived she reported to me
that Deborah, the retreat leader, was having car issues and hoped that I
might pinch-hit for her until she arrived. The great irony was that
besides my list of other responsibilities I had just come from working
out. Let’s just say I was a “little rough around the edges.”
Is your life turning out the way you “imagined?” More often than not
someone says to me, “This is not how I pictured my life.” Sometimes this
is reported with a sense of sadness, on occasion more as a surprise and
other times as merely an observation.
One of the most fascinating books I have read recently is Stumbling on
Happiness. Interestingly I “stumbled” on to this book. At first glance,
I thought it had the potential to be somewhere between “cheesy” or worn
out pop psychology.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Written by Harvard College
Professor of Psychology Daniel Gilbert, this book is based on
significant and credible research in the area of brain function.
At its core the premise of the book is that one of the most significant
detractors to our own personal happiness is our expectations. Stated
more succinctly, we establish pre-scripted scenarios. When these do not
unfold as we have “planned” we react negatively. In part, the objective
of the book is to examine our pre-scripting and, as importantly, our
reacting to unexpected changes.
Spiritually speaking, this has been what all the great mystics have been
saying for generations: learn to be present in the moment as you find it
– learn to find the Holy in each experience.
I had a clear path set out for myself this last Saturday. This plan was
derailed for circumstances beyond everyone’s control. I could have
reacted negatively. Or I could choose to be present in the moment and
see what God was calling me to. Once I let go, I was rewarded with a
wonderful time of prayer with some of ECOR’s finest.
Happiness stumbled upon - blessings received!
Blessings,
The Rev. Brian N. Prior, Rector
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