Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend.
Lao Tzu
There is no end of craving. Hence contentment alone is the best way to happiness. Therefore, acquire contentment.
Swami Sivananda
Eventually, we reach the point where we start to realize that we are not going to find peace, contentment, happiness, strength, fearlessness – all of the things that in our heart of hearts we wish we had – outside of us..
Guy Finley
Today I am 82.
I am grateful to God for my life (with many ups and downs), my dear wife (my love and best friend for 56 years), our children and grandchildren, our friends!
I enjoy beauty of nature, meeting people, reading, watching movies, playing chess, walking, taking pictures and many other things.
I am happy!
Life is wonderful!
Soon my wife and I again will move from summer to spring. We are looking forward to it. Why? Please read the old post below and you will understand. Please click on “original” to see photos.
Best to you!
Enjoy life!
Not too long ago I published the post FROM WINTER TO SUMMER.
Several months passed. We had wonderful time in Hollywood, Florida.
Now is time to move from summer to spring, from 84 degrees in Hollywood to 65 degrees in Queens, from palms to blooming magnolias, from our friends here to our family and friends in New York and New Jersey.
It takes only three hours to come from summer to spring and to enjoy wonders of New York City. In a week we can walk in the Central Park, we can go to the St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we can visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Life is wonderful! You don’t need to be a millionaire to enjoy it! Just walk and look around you, smell flowers, soak wonderful views, greet people with smiles, listen to laughter of children, to music in churches, in some buildings on the 5th…
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Every time I see a bench in a beautiful place I remember a popular Russian song 50 years ago “Sit down next to me”.
Some words from this song:
Sit down next to me.
I have to tell you.
I can’t hide it anymore
That I love you!
The photo below is taken recently in the early morning and I doubt that many people talked about love so early. However, I hear words and music of the song in my heart and mind and remember how happy we were dancing at that music 50 years ago.
Sit down next to me.
I have to tell you this moment
That from our first meeting
Many years ago
You always were
Infinitely sweet and dear to me!
CHURCH’S PARKING LOT by JF
TO WORK by JF
ON THE BEACH by JF
SUNRISE by JF
Always remember that your thoughts, your words and your attitude decide how you live. Be active, loving and optimistic! Happy Holidays!
Live has many ups and downs. Even in the depth of depression I remembered the words of a Russian short story writer, journalist, human rights activist and humanitarian Vladimir Korolenko:
“Man is born for happiness as a bird is born to fly”.
These words helped me to overcome all problems in my lives in the Soviet Union and in US. But happiness is not possible without love. You must love yourself and it gives you immense capacity to love others.
New Year is coming. I wish that your life was a happy flight full of love!
IN FLIGHT by Jean-Louis Teisseire
SWANS by Neil Howard. White swans are a symbol of love.
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PEOPLE, I LOVE YOU!
by JF
It’s already many years that I don’t wish anyone success. Instead I wish people happiness, to enjoy every minute of life. This post explains my reasoning.
Many years ago my son told me: “Father, I wanted very much to get an interesting and rewarding job, to find a soul mate, to buy a house, to have children and make them happy, to have good friends. Now I have it all but I feel depressed. Why?”
I answered: “You are working too hard and you have not enough time to love yourself, your family and friends. You have no time to love nature, music and art, to relax. You should drastically cut your working week and enjoy what you have. This will make you happy.”
My son said: “Father, if I follow your advice I will earn only half of what I get today.”
I suggested: “Talk to your wife and ask her opinion. She loves you and she is very smart”.
Two weeks passed. Then my daughter-in-law told me that my son arranged to work three days…
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Years passing and each one brings ups and downs.
It’s your attitude that determines if you are happy! Happiness is in present!
Eight years ago our younger granddaughter and our youngest grandson came to visit us in Hollywood (Florida) during school break. They loved warmth of the sun and the ocean, building sand castles, playing soccer and volleyball on the beach, playing ping-pong in a game room.
Once our granddaughter asked my wife: “Grandma, why don’t you buy an apartment here?”
My wife answered: “We’d like to do it! But we don’t have money for it.”
“Don’t worry, Grandma! After I finish school and college I’ll buy an apartment for you. ”
We were very happy! I did not even buy a lottery ticket after my wife told me about the promise.
Next day my wife asked our 4 years old grandson: “Dear, your sister promised to buy us an apartment here after she starts working. However, she is a girl. She can meet a nice guy and marry him. Then they…
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This morning in a post I stated that people with children are very, very rich. Later I found my old post that proves that people with grandchildren are also very, very rich. I decided to reblog it for you.
I am in a hotel with my grandson.
He does not speak yet but I am sure that he understands everything.
He does not walk yet but I am sure that he’ll start walking any moment.
Imagine that he crawls to a chair and slowly stands up grabbing it with both hands.
Then he hesitates. He wants to go from the chair but he fears to fall.
At that moment I tell him: “Leave the chair and go to me! I’ll catch you!”.
My grandson looks at me, smiles, makes two small steps and falls in my hands.
We are both very happy! Then I say: “Go back to the chair and grab it!”.
He does not hesitate and makes two steps to the chair. I tell him: “Excellent, you already can walk. I love you! Now go to the mirror!”
He looks at me, then he looks at the…
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Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.
True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.
When you see a rattlesnake poised to strike, you do not wait until he has struck to crush him.
It isn’t sufficient just to want – you’ve got to ask yourself what you are going to do to get the things you want.
To reach a port, we must sail – sail, not tie at anchor – sail, not drift.
I started this blog on 10/03/2013. At that time I had no idea where it will go. I only knew that I was close to 80 and so I chose the name of the blog “closetoeighty”.
In the beginning of November I published the post below, then I published many other posts about happiness and pursuit of happiness. I am going to combine them later on a separate page.
In the meantime I decided to reblog this post.
After I became 80 I decided to change the name of the blog to “PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS”. All people want to be happy. However, I am convinced that it is impossible to be happy without pursuing happiness.
I am learning to use a digital camera. I already learned how to take photos, how to remove them from a camera, how to transfer them to my PC. Yesterday night my youngest grandson helped me to recharge a battery of my camera.
I am using Canon PowerShot ELPH 340 HS. It is tiny and it feels very good in my pocket.
After many years of not taking pictures (15 or 20) I enjoy learning photography again using new kind of camera.
Below is my second digital picture.
MY SECOND DIGITAL PHOTO.
Not too long ago I published the post FROM WINTER TO SUMMER. Several months passed. We had wonderful time in Hollywood, Florida.
Now is time to move from summer to spring, from 84 degrees in Hollywood to 65 degrees in Queens, from palms to blooming magnolias, from our friends here to our family and friends in New York and New Jersey.
It takes only three hours to come from summer to spring and to enjoy wonders of New York City. In a week we can walk in the Central Park, we can go to the St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we can visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Embed from Getty ImagesLife is wonderful! You don’t need to be a millionaire to enjoy it! Just walk and look around you, smell flowers, soak wonderful views, greet people with smiles, listen to laughter of children, to music in churches, in some buildings on the 5th and Madison Avenues.
Life is wonderful! Enjoy it! Enjoy learning, enjoy work, enjoy meeting friends, walks, workouts, meditation, gaining wisdom!
Think and grow! It is never too late to become a better person, to understand your place in the world, to make your contribution to it!
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS 