Happy and Healthy

I recently listened as a man described his grandson's eating habits as being a "fussy eater."

"He doesn't like vegetables! He doesn't like meat! He doesn't like fruit!"

"So, I just give him a doughnut!"

His logic?

"I want him to be happy!" He described one of the joys and privileges of being a grandparent as wanting his grandchildren being happy while implying that their health was of less concern.

While I did sense some sarcasm toward the lack of concern about his grandchildren's health, he created a valid talking point for his listeners in the happy vs. healthy debate of our lifestyles.

We live in a world that thrives in a fast-paced form of life. A constant state of busyness finds us frantically searching for 'quick fixes' to many of our health concerns.

Loads of caffeine and sugar replace our lack of proper rest. Supplements to enhance our physique. New faces to replace the struggles of working on our current relationships. Podcasts, seminars, and conferences to provide a quick dose of enthusiasm in our career. A coffee mug with a Bible verse to make us feel better about our spirituality.

And while many of these 'fixes' provide a moment of relief, the rush will eventually wear off because they were never meant to maintain an enduring state of good health. Happy isn't found in a quick fix; it's found in the slow baking oven of commitment over time.

It's a dangerous ploy to navigate the deep waters of happiness far away from the shore of good health. Chasing happiness will eventually leave us feeling stranded without a raft. It will cause us to abandon the deep sense of purpose we know we were created for. And it will cause us to neglect those deeply woven friendships meant to extend a hand in a time of troubled waters.

Our happiness is tied to our health! Not just our physical health, but our emotional, mental, social, and spiritual health as well.

So, today, when you feel tempted to take the easy way out in an effort to be more 'happy,' remember, your health is more important than the quick fix of some moment of ecstasy! To be healthy is to be whole and to be whole will lead to your happiness!