You Make Your Own Happiness

Well, what is happiness? To my young eyes my grandmother always seemed happy. But I always thought as a kid she didn't have much to worry about. Oh the naivety and self absorption of youth! Her husband owned a bank when the great depression hit. I have record of my mother's feelings in her diary. It was devastating even though my grandfather had enough money to cover everyone in his bank the government still made him shut the bank down. They left Richfield pretty much penniless and he was called as the mission president of the Texas-Louisiana mission. After his mission his health was in decline and they moved to Manti where they actually lived in the Manti temple while he served in the presidency. This made it easier for him to do his work from the temple and not have to go back and forth everyday. He was only in his 60's when he died. My grandmother, "Grandma Lou" moved to Salt Lake City and got a job at ZCMI. Here we would go see her. She gave me 10 Cents to go buy an ice cream cone. What a treat this was for me! She was staying at our house when my turtle died. It was raining. I was pretty sad and no one seemed too upset except me. Grandma Lou sensed this and asked me if I wanted to have a little burial in the backyard. So we went out in the rain and buried the turtle and said a little prayer. She always told me to make my own happiness, don't wait for others to that for you. I am happy. Thanks Grandma Lou!