Angela shared a post from JJ about how happiness is something you decide ahead of time. The post reminded me of a similar story. My parents were transferred by their company from Los Angeles to Houston in the late 1990’s. Needless to say, they weren’t enthusiastic about the move. Like most Californians, they thought of Houston as a hot, muggy pit somewhere between Las Vegas and New York. My dad had visited Houston for business on several occasions, but he never stayed long enough to develop an appreciation for the place.
If they could have, they would have retired as soon as the transfer was finalized, but by their estimates, they needed another 5 years with their company before they could feel comfortable retiring. So they were stuck.
But my parents realized something. They couldn’t control the circumstances that led to their transfer, but they could control their attitudes towards the move. They could choose to spend the next 5 years being miserable in Houston, or they could spend the next 5 years being happy in Houston. They chose to be happy. They made friends, got involved in the community, and became connoisseurs of BBQ. And, as a result, when they eventually did retire, they chose to stay in Houston rather than move back to L.A.
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