"How Shall I Bear So Much Happiness"

Jane Austen once said "How shall I bear so much happiness!" I read that quote and it spoke to the deepest, most personal cavity of my heart. It made me realize how very blessed I am in my little life and how unbelievably happy I should always be because of that.

I seriously don't know how I could ever be more blessed than I am right now. I have my amazing, strong, supportive family. I have parents that love and would do absolutely anything for me; and siblings that are the best role models and greatest friends I could ever ask for. My sweet boyfriend is the greatest man I could have ever found; hardworking, kind, smart, funny, spiritual, compassionate, and loving. I have The Gospel of Jesus Christ to help guide me through my life. I live in the greatest country on earth where I have all the freedoms I could ever desire. I am blessed with the means I need to go to school at an amazing university and to live in such a comfortable manner. I am lucky enough to have a job; one that works with my student schedule and one that I enjoy! Lastly but most certainly not least I have the most amazing friends on the face of this earth. It's amazing the impact that a few people who you at one time didn't even know can have on your life. I am so grateful to be able to claim these people as my second spectacular family. "When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching - they are your family." - Jim Butcher. I have to say that there are very few feelings greater then when you realize someone knows you well enough to recognize your many flaws and they still claim you as a friend and love you all the more in spite of those flaws. Growing up, especially in high school, I always tried to remember that it was not the quantity of friends you had that mattered but rather the quality. I was fairly well convinced that I only needed 1 maybe 2 friends and I'd be just fine. I'm still sure that that's all that I NEED, but I am blessed with many more true and great friends than I will ever deserve.

I know that I have the rest of my life ahead of me and I like to think that I am destined to enjoy many more happy moments but I'm hoping to be more observant in my life so that I may notice all the reasons I have to be the happiest person out there! One last quote and then I'm outta here! "Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want." - E. James Rohn.  This is my motto for the next... however it long it takes to get it through my thick skull!

-Dan