As I strolled into the kitchen this morning, it looked clean. My daughter had tidied it up before she went to bed. There was the Kuerig, standing at the ready with a pod in place, waiting to be pressed. One of my favorite mugs underneath, sitting at the ready.

Before grabbing the handle, I noticed a piece of paper rolled up behind the pod. It was a note from my daughter that said, “You’re still my hero. I love you so much.”

Looking up the word Happiness, I saw many perspectives of what it meant. There are a few things I’ve learned, that a lot of you probably have as well, but let’s ponder.

I am a happy person. My circumstances don’t dictate my state of well being anymore. Happiness comes from within. My daughter says after Chemo, I’m going to be all new inside. That sounds like a  place with endless possibilities to me. Sometimes we have to burn down all the crap inside of us to uncover the seed of happiness.

Can people make me happy? No, but they can bring additional happiness into my life.

Once you find inner peace, happiness follows suit. Holding onto that happiness is something I work on daily. Keeping my peace makes everything going on around me seem lighter. If something, or someone takes my peace, that is something I will look at more closely. For me, it usually means I have stepped out of God’s will in some small way.

My daughter has called me her hero since she was five. I don’t believe it’s anything I strive to do. Just caring for her in the most loving way possible, while still allowing her to test her wings. I love how she used the word ‘still’, in the note she left for me this morning.

We never know exactly where the journey will take us, but we trust God and His plan for us. Just like the Chemo coming up Tuesday is not a welcome part, but it seems necessary if I want to see her grow up.

No matter where you are on your path, there is a plan. I believe God wants me to trust Him completely in this, not just when it’s convenient. I also believe He wants me to actually ask people for help, which has always been hard. He is placing people in my path I can depend on. People who suit up, and show up, and look like heroes to me.