The Wisdom of Allan K. Chalmers

" The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."

I've been so afraid that I will go to France and be unhappy there. But I'm fortunate that I have friends to remind me that I should be excited to embark on this adventure. That there will be lots to do and see while I'm there, and that this is not a nine-month sequestration in solitary confinement. They reminded me that there will still be little joys aplenty for me to savor whilst I'm there.

I suppose one of my chief fears in leaving is that I will have no one and, as Chalmers puts it, nothing to love in France. I love all my friends and family so dearly, and the thought of being without them for so long a duration is so very difficult to fathom. I can only calm myself with the knowledge that I will find new people to love in my new environment. I never doubted that that would happen at MHC, even though I knew no one. I must have faith that I will build new relationships abroad as well.

When I began this post, I googled "happiness quotes" to see what kinds of thoughts about cheerfulness others had phrased eloquently. I'm so thankful to have stumbled across these words from Chalmers; he reminds me that I will still find everything I need in France.