Monday, October 17, 2011

The Pursuit of Happiness

This morning, I spent some time at the College of New Rochelle serving on the Ursuline panel discussing the Pursuit of Happiness. CNR has a great Ursuline heritage and legacy. Today, the freshman seminar was dealing with Ursulines and their perspective of happiness. Six different Ursulines: Sr. Martha Counihan, Sr. Alice Bouchard, Sr. Ann Therese Dillen, Sr. Beth Dowd, Sr. Ann Marie Kelleher and myself all shared about our experiences.

I shared a visual of a thermometer because I believe happiness is in the middle temperature part of our lives. At times we have higher temperatures of joy, delight, glee and excitement and at other times, we have lower temperatures of frustration, sadness, sorrow and even depression. But it is how we handle those times that shows us our true happiness.

My life as an Ursuline is mainly a happy one; but it is still life with its ups and downs. I thought by entering the convent some pains might go away. But that is definitely not true. Sadness is part of this life too. But the relationships I have with God, Angela, Ursuline sisters, my ministries and my friends and family are what allow me to be happy. Therefore I must spend time cultivating those relationships.
What makes you happy?

Sr. Jeannie

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