Happy happy happy

I saw an interesting poll this week.  Interesting because as much bad news there is here in Honduras (and of course I am aware that the news thrives on bad news) sometimes it seems that is all some can see. 

Bad stuff happens.  Welcome to life in a fallen world...incendently whose fault is that? 

I try not to focus on the negative.  In my own life experience maybe you do stress over negative stuff, but I try to see the best of our country, our region, our world even...but mostly our country. 

And then came this poll.  Scientific?  Who knows. 

http://www.gallup.com/poll/159254/latin-americans-positive-world.aspx#2

So Gallup Inc. asked about 1,000 people in each of 148 countries last year if they were well-rested, had been treated with respect, smiled or laughed a lot, learned or did something interesting and felt feelings of enjoyment the previous day

They then ranked all the countries by percentage of those that answered yes to all five. 

So, in this country of headlines that include words like (coup, murder, corruption, dictator, crime) we...surely we were last? 

Honduras falls between Indonesia and New Zealand at #20.  The US is #35 (although the percentage in difference is not entirely huge: 79% for Honduras, 77% for the US.)

Honduras is not alone in being higher on the list than the statistics would normally lead you to believe, so we are not just an anomaly.  In fact, eight out of the top ten are Latin American countries.

Lesson?  Be your own judge. 

For me...it says:  Being happy can often be...in spite of what is going on around you, not because of  it.