Happy place, compliments. . .letting go

My sister is starting a leadership program, and one of the ways she's kicked it off is to ask people to spend 7 minutes in joy at the same time.  So yesterday at 2:30 EST all the people participating did whatever they needed to do to for that purpose.

I was at the office.  I looked at my computer screen (I almost said clock, but who looks at those anymore?), saw that it was 2:30 so I split.

I jumped into my happy place mentally and walked down the street to get a coffee. All the while I was keeping "my happy place" a top priority.  I thought about buying a stranger his or her coffee, even.  But I'm a bit tight on funds at the moment, so I didn't do it (the thought didn't make me totally happy).

My bank is in the coffee shop, so while I was waiting for my cappuccino, I went to the teller to get some money (always uplifting). I went to my favorite teller.  She worked in the coffee shop prior to working there, and has always been a beautiful uplifting person to talk to when I'm there.  She had a pretty shirt/sweater combination on so I told her and she shared that she had thrown her clothes on in the dark that morning.  I was like wow, you look great.  She's like, well, you can't see the rest of my outfit (because she's sitting behind the counter). . .you, know it's funny how hard taking a compliment can be!  We like to self deprecate.  I've been working on not doing that, but I find it hard, too!  Especially when the compliment is coming from someone who I would like to like me. . .

Why is it that hope is scary? Why do we crush it down?  Disappointment, I know.

Why do we really get disappointed, though? Is it that we don't get what we want?  No.

Wanting things generally leads to getting them, just not always in the way were were expecting them to come.  I've had the idea for a long time that God is looking out for me, that he/she always comes through, but that I can't tell him/her how to make things happen for me.  I have to trust.

Well. . .the same thing is true for my fellow men and women.  The process of learning to let go of the need to control, to specify how something is done, has been powerful.  I am still learning.  Sometimes my ego gets in the way when I let myself believe: Oh, this one is high-stakes.  I really want this person to be my friend, to continue interacting with me, to take care of me, to let me take care of them.  Yada, yada, yada.

Let go!

Let go!

Let go!