I have been on a quest lately to find out what it is that truly makes me happy. I’m trying to learn to tell the difference between the considerable fulfillment I experience when I am being productive and simple, straightforward happiness. I have actually had them very confused my whole life. I have often thought that satisfaction with a job well done was the same as happiness. And it kinda-sorta is. But happiness is grace. It often feels totally undeserved. I certainly don’t have to work for it. In fact, I don’t have to do anything at all. It’s like a visitation. And I can’t really make it happen. But I do know that I can invite the possibility of that grace into my life when I am out in nature, or spending time with people I love, or being present while one of my students has a creative breakthrough. And one sure fire method for stepping into the path of grace is making time and space for my own creative expression. So simple, huh? Creativity=grace=happiness. One completely no-brainer answer to the “how to be happy” question is just be more creative. But maybe it’s not so easy as all […]