As I sit here reading this topic, Marksman14, I got to thinking when I was 16 and realized that it was a hard time on me too. I can only tell you this, If you take one day at a time, and one step at a time, things do get better. And that God gives you only what you can handle. So if you think you can not take any more, take a deep breath and say [i]I can do this[/i].

My happiest time has to be every day I wake up to the day to day things that a mother of 3 and wife does. Because if it was not for DonR, I don't know where I would be. And the great friends that AR15.com has brought into my life.

Happy?  Most of the time.  Frustrated - lately a lot, with the job, with a multitude of other things in life, and yes, with 9/11.  But genuinely pleased to be alive?  April 23, 2000 at about 12:30 am - when I realized I [b]was[/b] still alive after a motorcycle accident that broke my left arm and Left Tibia (into 5 pieces).  I spent the next month in the hospital with 2 surgeries, and 3 months in a wheel chair after that while the Tibia healed enough for me to put weight on it.

Then I was ecstatic to begin walking again ...  The last 18 months has been one loooong recovery period, and all the while, I've had my wife and daughter to help, love, and encourage me (even though I do get frustrated with them both at times...my daughter [b]is[/b] a teenager).

I had to relearn something that I had learned when I was 7 and nearly lost my dad.  Life happens, one day at a time.  Other lessons learned are if I don't do it today, it will still be there tomorrow, and if I'm not here tomorrow to do it, I won't care anyway [;)]

Do I walk around with a smile on my face all the time?  No.  But I am attempting to re-arrange my life so that I actually have time for the important things.  Money isn't important.  Yes, it's necessary in order to live, but to have so much that I can actually afford to lose some in the market?  nah... I'd just lose it! [:D]

Take care of the basics... make sure you have a roof over your head, a good woman (or man for you ladies) that loves you and that you love, and do the things you love to do, and the rest will either follow, or won't matter.

[edited because I can't spell the word 'the']

50, I do not know what to say other than I am genuinely sorry to hear of your loss and at the same time happy for you that you have that memory to cling to.
My Email is in my profile. Feel free to use it if you would like to talk.

[center]"Ain't racing...
              ...ain't dead"
                   any questions?

                          db [/center]

July 8th,1982. Coincedentally, I got married the next day. I look forward to death, because Hell will be a holiday!

I will second that, 50.  If I can be of any help; a quick chat, someone to get it off your chest with, a shoulder to lean on, brother I am there.  My email is posted here

No words can convey the sadness.  You are in my prayers.  It is my prayer that you will find the peace that only our Master can provide.

The time that I am/was most happy:

Took me a long time to see the good things in life after my daddy was taken from me in 1996 (age 52) from a massive MI - btw, he was a staunch 2nd Amend supporter and a damn fine pistol and rifle shot!

My children (4) and my loving wife, are the two biggest reasons for my happiness.

Probably the best: finding deep sustainment, peace, and love in my relationship with God.  Nothing greater than knowing and having a personal relationship with the Master.  

If anybody would like to talk more about this, I would love to email with you.

Pakrat - out!

The last time I was truly happy was this past Tuesday.  I got to hang out with the woman I love more than anything.  We drove around, went to various places, ate good food, came back to my place and had a wonderful evening talking and doing other things.

I'm never truly happy without her.  I just wish I could convince her to marry me.  She tells me that she wants to work on her dreams and future career right now and marriage would be too much of a distraction.  I guess I understand.  I don't really like it, but I understand.

USPC40

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[b][blue]NRA Life Member[/blue][/b] - [url]www.nra.org[/url]
[b][blue]GOA Life Member[/blue][/b] - [url]www.gunowners.org[/url]
[b][blue]SAF Member[/blue][/b] - [url]www.saf.org[/url]
[b][blue]SAS Supporter[/blue][/b] - [url]www.sas-aim.org[/url]

[img]www.ar15.com/members/albums/USPC40/alabamaflag.gif[/img]

Good morning all....as I look back over the last year I realize that this has possibly been the best year of my life. I am flat broke and worse,
My car is falling apart around me, I live in apartment that is just barely bigger than a closet, My wife divorced me, and I haven't seen any member of my family in almost eight years..
sounds great huh.....I also had a business trip to Brazil AGAIN(standing on the banks of the Amazon watching the sun go down), Toronto,Las Vegas, The florida Keys, I have a new boss. I have guns to shoot and people to shoot them with, DonR and KellyR seem to have adopted me,
I have a girlfriend who constantly reminds me that I must have dreamed her into existance because real girls like her do not Exist. And everyday I wake up thinking I never planned on living this long, so it must be a good day.

Yesterday afternoon had a 10,9,two 8's, and a 7 on target at 200yds with a 16", open sight, Colt govn't carbine.  I was happy...very happy.  I actually jumped when I saw the group.  Was shooting prone.  Not too bad eh?

i was only truly happy once.
i climbed up a 14er in Alaska, looked in every direction, and couldn't tell that humans ever existed ~ but what really affected me was when the wind stopped blowing, just for a second, and i heard NOTHING. nothing but the ringing in my ears. i have never experienced anything like that since, in a way, i wish it never happened, because i won't be happy until it happens again.

Thats pretty fucked up 50.  I'm sorry to hear that.  I couldn't even begin to imagine what you are going through with this.  I've lost a lot of people close to me, but definately not my wife.  I would be lost without her.  My E-mail is also in my profile.

This morning while airing the dog out before he went in his kennel..

Ropes

When I looked at my 19 months old son sleeping before I headed out to work this morning.

Not sure.  '93 I think.

Every night, when I go to bed...my beautiful blonde wife next to me (think Melissa Joan Hart from Sabrina the Teenage Witch) my two Yorkies at the foot of the bed...

and my Colt shorty flattop leaning on the wall next to me - and the suppressed USP Tac on the nightstand.

:-)

I am truly blessed.
QS

When I slept with the first woman after my ex and I divorced.:)  Truly satisfying (8 yrs with only a couple of flings prior to divorce will do that...).

Five of my friends and I were supposed to go on a European cruise. We were going to fly out yesterday and fly to Barcelona, Spain. From there we were going on a cruise with Royal Carribean and cruise through southern Europe. I was really looking forward to this cruise. It took almost two years of saving money.
Now, after the Sept. 11 attacks, two of my buddies were called up to active service. One of my other buds is married to one of the guys called up, so she didn't want to go. My other friends didn't want to go without them and either did I. So, I'm kinda bummed about that.
On top of that, just about every time I turn on the TV or listen to the radio, there's a story about the Sept. 11 attacks. I swear I cry like a little girl every time I hear about firemen or policeman who didn't make it out of the towers. Just not a happy time at the moment.

John-

 Very first thing you need to do is turn off the TV and radio. Unlike the case in Desert Storm, the news doesn't have much to report, and keeps re-airing the awful imagery of 9-11. Make it a point to stop exposing yourself to those images. I know exactly how you feel, and have only just recently started sleeping well again, despite having quit 95% of my usual news/media intake over a month ago. As far as your trip goes, anything could have cancelled it, not just a terrorist attack. You could have well cancelled it yourself because you recently met with the future Mrs. John91498, and the two of you just couldn't get out of bed long enough to take a plane ride. Stranger things have happened. Cash in your ticket/reservation down payments, and apply it to something else that can be enjoyed right here in the US of A. A new SS heavy barrelled flattop upper comes to mind...

 On a deeply personal level, you, like everyone else here, have been impacted of late, and talking to someone about how you feel is big medicine. It's called terrorism for a reason, and you're not a "weak" person for having any feelings along this line. Talk to someone you can trust, and get these feelings out in the open; it's how you come to terms with them, and denying yourself a safe 'vent' just compounds the lows. FWIW, I felt positively heartsick, and like I had taken a kick to the groin on Sept. 11th. It's normal, but needs to be dealt with.

 Most important of all is to stay active and healthy, (exercise is a WONDERFUL tonic, even just short walks), and remember that all of this will pass. The 'give yourself something to look forward to' trick also never fails to bring me around. Also, how you feel right now will pass, if you do your part. True happiness is the simple things in life; for me it's family, a comfortable home, a sense of contentment and security, and hunting season... light stuff like that. It's in you, just find it and enjoy it.

 Be well, and good luck.

[edited to eliminate double post- D'OH!!]

Hey, I agree.  When I am hunting (for deer--in the deep woods, stillhunting), true happiness is easy to reach.

Arquebus12,

Bro, are you a mind reader? I haven't been able to sleep since the Sept 11 attacks. The only way to get some rest is to either take sleeping pills or take a couple of shots of Yager of Southern Comfort.
And, I've just recently met a possible Mrs. John91498 in a club last friday:
[img]http://www.netsnapshot.com/users/814/images/O89YcsCoBQIAAHNIDeQ_814_62.pjpeg[/img]
She's really cool and we're going out this Saturday.
And, this is too bizarre that you suggested this, I did order a 20" Bull Barrel flat top upper that was teflon treated. It should be here on friday. I've been pricing scopes to put on it.
I couldn't a refund from the cruise line, but they put a credit of $3,800 to my name that's good for five years. Hopefully, they'll still be in business in five years.

Thanks, bro, you've been a lot of help.
John

How did you watch the sun come "UP" over the ocean on the west coast?

Shows you how messed up we were. [:D]

Just ordered some more magazines from Georgia Precision:

[url]http://www.georgiaprecision.com/cats/catarmag.htm[/url]

Last night I got LAID, it was great.  I am going shooting later today and I just bought a new Para-Ordnance P14.45 with three hi-caps, NIB for 500 bucks.  A winning Lotto ticket and it will be a perfect week.

My pleasure. Just call me Dr. Arquebus. [:)>]

I do'nt know but this sounds like a girlie thread to me.Honey.. I'm not HAPPY... so's Im taking the kids, 1/2 to 2/3rds+[b] whatever I can[/b] of your/our stuffs and kicking your lame 10hrwork day ass out!....I hope I do'nt sound bitter.

That moment at night just before you fall into deep sleep.

Don't think I believe in happiness, at least not in this life.  Events of 9/11 had little impact in this area for me.  

There may have been moments of my childhood that were very happy, but then my dad died when I was 9 and I had to grow up.  Since then its mostly about honor and duty with little or no thought of "happy".

As for you guys saying a woman is central to your happiness, for some of us they've had just the opposite effect .

When I hugged my son this morning when I dropped him off at school.  You need to think about what really matters to you and focus your energy there.

Almost everyday, don't sweat the small problems for they're really not problems at all.  I have my family, my health and my god.  This is not to say that their have not been bad times, death, family trouble, etc.  These things put life into perspective, life is short so live everyday to the fullest.

When I finished the last thing I did this morning before leaving for work.  [;)]
No, I wasn't taking a dump!!

I'm only truly happy when I'm with the love of my life, the one person who I love unconditionally.  Sadly, I hardly get to see her and we've never been together as a couple but she made me the happiest man in the world by just saying that if she hadn't left for college we'd be married by now.

:(

Every Night I am truly happy after locking up the doors, kissing the kids good night and snuggling all night with my wife.

Everything turns to shit, though, when the alarm goes off at 5:00 AM and I have to head to work and wait another 17 hours for the "Happy" moment.

[beer]

First, I think this is a great thread.  At 19yrs. old you guys really put what is important in life into perspective for me.  I can't thank you enough.   The happiness for me really comes at the range after 500rnds through my Dissipator. It also comes whenever see my Pickup, washed and shiny, with the sun reflecting on the paint.  I just feel such intense happiness at those times.  Even though all the girls my age think i'm some damn gun nut and won't give me the time of day, I'm happy when i'm with them too.  There is nothing like laying on a bed with a girl you really are friends with, holding her in your arms.  I can't imagine how great it would be with my very own wife.

Something to dream of i guess.

[shotgun]
GO GO  GO

Last night before I dented my wife's car and thought I was going to buy a new Kimber this weekend.  AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!

Actually happiness is just a state of mind.  In any situation you can choose to be a happy person or a miserable person.  Life is much better as a happy person.  

This is from experience.  I used to bitch and complain about how life sucks and nothings fair and look what he's got so therefore life pretty much sucked.  One summer I just decided to stop being such a shit and just be happy.  Life got a lot better quickly.  Started dating a lot more because most women prefer happy people to complainers. (Nobody buys that "brooding" shit BTW)  Started to just do more.  Life is all good now, even with the statement above.

When i got back with my present honey the one i should have been with all along.

10+ months ago.

In a forest, down on one knee, my girlfriend's hands in mine, and a $10,000 ring in my pocket.

That was the last time I was truly happy - the happiest moment of my life.

30 seconds later I knew something was wrong.
3 months later she was on another continent.
She never said "yes".

Last weekend, scouting deer property.  It was mid fifties, sunny with a light breeze.  I could hear nothing man made.  All my stands were in good repair and no one had vandalized/looted/ destroyed  out camp.

I feel the exact same way.  I usually return to my fully "happy" state  every night when I think about Brouhaha.  I know it sounds "cheezy," but I guess that shows how good of a guy I think he is.  Does anyone out there know what I mean?  I usually settle down in bed with a truly happy smile and a sigh of contentment.   [8)]