Learning by H.E.A.R.T.: The Happiness Jar



The Learning by H.E.A.R.T. assignments are also something I look forward to each week. When I have time to complete them, I love to go back through and put some of them into practice in my own life.

The Happiness Jar is actually something I have done before, so it will be the perfect thing to write about this week.

My freshman year at OU was one of the hardest years I have ever encountered. I struggled so much with my transition away from home, living on my own, finding my place at OU, and living two hours away from my family. Each day got even more difficult, and I felt like I lost a lot of my happiness along the way. Over Christmas break, I sat down with my mom (she is my best friend and always the person I go to when I need comfort) and told her how much I was yearning to be home with her and my dad and brother. I even mentioned that I didn't want to go back to OU for the spring semester. The day before Christmas Eve, she sat down with me and we made a box filled with notes of everything we were thankful. A few of them are listed here:

1. I have such a close family: My parents have had one marriage and have been married for 25 years. I also have a great relationship with my only sibling, and it is very rare that a brother and sister get along without fighting.

2. My parents have worked very hard for me to go to OU, and I worked extremely hard in high school to get a huge scholarship. It is a privilege to go to an amazing school such as OU.

3. I am in very good health, and I have never seen horrible sickness or death in any of my extended family. I need to be a good steward of my health.

4. I have so many material things. Sometimes I take advantage of things I have when I compare myself to others. I am so thankful for having the comfort and ability to buy things I want or need.

5. I have a love for learning and school. Most people have to force themselves to go to class, so I am grateful that I have that (it makes going to school very enjoyable).

6. I have so many new friends at OU. Sometimes I feel like I am alone here, but it is very rare for someone to walk down the hallway of a huge sorority and sit down with whomever is sitting there and have a conversation. I have so many great friends that really have my best interest at heart.


These are just a few things we wrote down that day, and there are so many others (it would take 4 days to type all of them in this post). I keep this jar in my room back in Texas, and my mom sends me pictures of a few notes when I am having a bad day. No matter what each day brings, I will always have something in my life to be thankful for.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Comment Wall

Website Address:    Jatakas and Justice Site Website Name: Jatakas and Justice As you read through my storybook project, imagine you are a law student or just someone interested in the law and how it works.  In the Jatakas, a central theme is Dharma (which means law and order) for the characters to live by. I will be telling the stories from Yama's, the god of Dharma, perspective. The kind of experience I want to give to my readers is one that is unique from any other project that has been done. I want my readers to get a sense of my love for the law, and I want them to think of these “life lessons” that appear in Jatakas as laws to live by. PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS!
Read more

Mahabharata Storytelling (Week 6): Satyavati's Deception

Image
The mighty king, Vichitravirya, was just pronounced dead by his legal council. So many of his subjects adored him and cherished his rulings, so a period of mourning occurred for weeks.   According to my rulings of Dharma, he lived a righteous life, but the gods did not choose to reward him with a son to take the throne. Because of this, I wanted to send a test to his family to see if their Dharma was as important to them as it was to Vichitravirya. One week after his  death, Satyavati, a beautiful sister to the king, makes a plan to tempt the royal family into breaking my cosmic law. Satyavati summons Bhishma, her and Vichitravirya’s brother, and makes a proposal to him. “Brother, you had no opportunity to take the throne because of your older brother, but this could be your chance to rule the kingdom.” She said with a sneaky tongue. Bhisma’s eyes lit up with excitement thinking about his future on the throne. He leaned in closer and listened to her opportun...
Read more
Image
My name is Leigh McBride, and I am a junior here at OU. I am a philosophy major, and I am hoping to attend law school after graduation. I love my classes, but I will have an extremely difficult year due to my upcoming LSAT test date next June. My DREAM LAW SCHOOL is the University of Texas in Austin, but it is one of the hardest schools to get into in the southern half of the country. My dad graduated from UT with a bachelors in business and education, so I have always (secretly) been a longhorn. Everything I do this year will directly work towards my dream school! But always, I will always be a Sooner first and foremost: it is where I chose to attend my undergraduate years, so it will always be my true home.    University of Texas Clock Tower and West Campus Fountain This spot is where I took my family pictures each year  This year, I will be mostly studying for the LSAT, but I still work two jobs and participate in my sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. I live...
Read more