Personal Narrative: My Pursuit Of Happiness

“Mommy? What am I going to look like when I grow up?” Rose asks me.

That innocent question sparked memories for me. Memories of senior year in high school when I was wondering what I was going to do with my life, when I was stressed out with college essays, homework, and my job. I remember thoughts of what I wanted to do chasing each other around in circles within my head I wondered hether I was going to be a teacher, a missionary, a computer scientist, an analyst, or a myriad of other possibilities. Each of those stresses and decisions have faded in importance with time.

It’s been almost 30 years since I graduated high school in little Negaunee, Michigan. My life has been packed full of joy and happiness. I have a wonderful family. My youngest, Rose, is adopted. She is at the inquisitive age of 8. My oldest has graduated high school and is now in college. The choices that I was struggling with when I was a senior now seem inconsequential. During that time, I thought that my happiness would be measured by my successes in my life: a high paying job, lots of money, and importance. When I

Now, my measure of success, and thus my happiness, comes from helping and loving others. My family is a big part of that. My husband and I have adopted three kids, and my joy with them was giving them a good home to live in. I have loved all my family, biological or adopted with the same great amount of love. I grew up in a big family and know what it feels like to have lots of people to love and to love me in return. Without my family, my life would be hollow. My heart goes out to those without a family or those whose families are not loving. I hear stories everyday about parents not caring, siblings hating each other, and even kids running away from home. This is the reason that we adopted kids; to give them a loving home so they wouldn’t hate or run away. My family fills my life with joy and a feeling of