When I was a freshman just starting college I really wanted to be rich. I even had pictures of a big luxury car and a huge mansion that I had cut out of magazines and pasted in my notebook. I wanted to become a wealthy businessman or a best selling author. I wanted to be both famous and successful. Of course, I never did get any of those things and I thank God for that everyday.

You see, in time I realized that what I really wanted was the happiness that my swollen ego thought those things would bring me. It took me many years to realize that happiness comes from the love we give and not the things we get. It took me many years to shrink my ego, grow my humility, and accept what God wanted for me. As a result what I want now has become a lot different from what I wanted back then.

Now I want to do the things that fill my heart with love, my spirit with joy, and my soul with God. I want to start each morning with the prayer, “I love you God and I thank you for my life!” I want to give my sons hugs and tell them how much I love them. I want to kiss my daughter’s hair when she shares her problems with me. I want to play fetch with my puppy and laugh when he climbs on my lap and licks my face. I want to pet my old, gray cat and smile when she curls up on my chest to take a nap. I want to read and write inspiring words that help hurting hearts. I want to feel God’s love when I look at the flowers of Spring, the sunsets of Summer, the leaves of Autumn and the snows of Winter. I want to share my smile, my strength, my laughter, and my love with the world and do everything I can to make Earth more like Heaven.

What do you want out of life? What do you want to give to life? Maybe they are the same. Always remember that it is in giving that you receive. It is in loving that you are loved. It is in sharing your joy that you create happiness in the hearts of yourself, others, and God.