Happiness.

What do you think of when someone asks you "are you happy?"  A simple three words formed into a question -theoretically should be pretty easy to answer.  However, as I am sure most of you know that is not the case.  One thing that always comes to my mind when someone asks me if I am happy is what are they meaning?  Is it one of my close friends who I truly know wants to hear how I am doing or are they just trying to be polite and could careless about what is going on in my life.  A simple question brings many complications and questions to my mind.

What made me think about happiness was the last couple days.  I am loving life back at SLU.  Everything seemed to be falling into place - my major, friends, volunteering, clubs, just life.  However, I always get this feeling that something has to happen since I am feeling so good.  For those of you, who know me I bet you would say I am a pretty outgoing person and I try to make the best of the situation and be happy - well at least I hope you see that in me.  Last night was the first APO (Alpha Phi Omega) meeting of the semester.  APO is the service fraternity that I am involved in on campus.  Since there are over 300 hundred members, the club is divided into what we call families - or smaller groups.  Having families always everyone to get to know a smaller group of people and become close with them.  I am in Alpha family, and every family has a family head every semester.  This semester my family basically picked me out to be the family head - they told me what while I was abroad they decided I was going to be family head.  I am really excited to be family head this semester, because Alpha has become the best family in APO - we are all very close and have a lot of fun together.  After the APO meeting last night I was extremely high on life - there is something about APO that makes everything seem okay - I think that is partly my family.  They are all so great. Anyways, besides APO everything with my major is coming together - I am becoming more involved within the department.  I have been understanding most of my homework and the class lecture and staying on top of the readings and homework.  Life has really been great, and I want everyone to feel the way I have been feeling the last couple of days! Find that thing - anything - something - that is your niche and run with it.  Everyone deserves to be happy - everyone.  Please get involved on campus or in your community even if it is just one little thing - anything.  I know you don't think you have time and you should be focused on school, but seriously you will grow more as a person being involved in an organization then just studying and partying away.  Trust me on this one.  I know I am only a Junior in college, but I think you can trust me to get involved - I don't think you will regret it!

On a sadder note - my Grandma was admitted back into the hospital yesterday.  Like I said something always happens - but this does not mean I am not happy.  I just ask all of you to pray for her - I would really like the doctors to finally figure out what is going on so my Grandma can get better.  I love you Grandma and know that you are in my prayers everyday.  Please feel better.

An Alpha get together :) Some of the best memories.

Alpha family photo at our formal dance!

Here are a couple songs I listen to when I am not in the best mood and they always bring a smile to my face:

Move by MercyMe

This Life by MercyMe

Sweet Redeemer by Steve Angrisano

Let me know what you think of three Jesus songs.

God Bless. Paz y Amor.