Happ-E-Quote:) "I am fully convinced that the soul is indestructible and that its activity will continue through eternity. It is like the sun, which to our eyes, seems to set in night; but it has in reality only gone to diffuse its light elsewhere." - Goethe

I want you to practice "Premeditated Happiness." Happiness is one of the most important things in your life. Happiness does wonders for your soul. You should know that reading this newsletter will not just make your life better; it will make the world a better place because you have decided to be happy!

I LOVE YOU!
Lionel

Happ-E-Quote:) Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. - James 1:2-4

Happ-E-Purpose:) Reminding you to make the "Happiness Decision." Letting you know about our meeting dates, giving you happiness information, and the latest copy of the Be Happy Zone Article that is published twice a month in the Fairfield Citizen-News. Read today's article called: A Praiseworthy Man of Happiness!

Happ-E-Quote:) Happiness and virtue rest upon each other; the best are not only the happiest, but the happiest are usually the best." - Bulwer

Happ-E-Mail:) I found this quote in the July edition of Reader's Digest. I thought it was wonderful. I hope you do too. "The happiest people aren't necessarily the ones with the most good fortune or wealth. They are the ones who share whatever they have with others." - Olympic Champion Sarah Hughes' father.
I really want to help people to be happy. I can't get enough of helping others. I have actually been thinking of volunteering with Aids patients or Aids babies. I think if anyone needs some uplifting, it's them. Looking forward to the next meeting!!!
Love, hugs and happiness!! - Lisa Simms

Happ-E-Quote:) Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others. - Cicero

Happ-E-Mail:) Thanks to each and every one of you for sharing your caring words and thoughts. Please let us hear from you; spread your happiness and you spread your wings! That is the surest way of Being Happy!

Happ-E-Web Site:) When is the last time you checked out the happinessclub.com web site? Tom Finelli did a great deal with the web site. It was one of his last contributions to making the world a happier place. Tom wanted you to be happy!

Tom dressed up the web site in happy faces and made it look like a very happy place. Another reason to check it out is that if you have written to us about happiness, you might just find your name in the "What people are saying," section on the left hand side of the home page. The next September meeting, as well as the October meeting is now posted for you. All the articles from the Be Happy Zone that has been published in the Fairfield Citizen-News have been posted for you to read.

Our Happinessclub.com is a site to see! Click here: www.happinessclub.com. We just went over the "You are visitor 12,400" counter mark. If you like this newsletter, then spread the word, and share it with your friends and colleagues. Invite them to subscribe by sending a blank e-mail to: Happinessclub@aol.com, or sign them on yourself and we will send them a note that it was from you.

In our last newsletter I included the following thank you to Tom. The reason I include it again is to show you what a few days can change. You can't bring back yesterday. You can only live right now. Part of living well is to show your gratitude to people, whenever and as often as you possibly can. It is in expressing your gratitude that you truly find happiness.
From our last Newsletter: Happ-E-Gratitude:) Tom Finelli our web master, does so much for us. This is a copy of the e-mail I sent to Tom Finelli: Dear Tom, You have really done an outstanding job. Thanks so very much. I love the smiling Sun - it looks fantastic. The section on: "What people are saying," is just perfect. The faded smiling faces in the background make the web site feel really friendly. I can't thank you enough. But I am going to try! Sending you all the happiness you can stand! Love, Lionel

Happ-E-Quote:) "I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." - Helen Keller

Happ-E-Mail:) Dear Lionel: I never met Tom, but wish my sincere condolences to his family. In my heart, I truly believe that he is now in a much better place, free of his worldly body and all the problems it might bring with it. It's due to people like Tom and you that my mind and beliefs have changed and caused me to seek happiness and in the process, educate myself to this point in my life where I believe, in my heart of hearts, that all of us go to this much better place which is closer to God.
So lets not mourn for Tom, whose work is now complete, but for the Loved ones who will miss him terribly.
Please let them know that although only his body is no longer with us, his spirit lives on for eternity. To truly honor his memory, we ought to get the message that our time here is but a fleeting moment and that we should not waste it on anything but the pursuit of HAPPINESS!!! Love, Marty

Happ-E-Quote:) "It has been said that success only shows up when determination does... but it must be powered by a non-negotiable decision." -- Doug Firebaugh

Happ-E-Mail:) Our little bundle of joy has entered the World! He is a cutie pie! Aidan Levon Ketchian made his debut on Friday, July 5th at 3:25 am within 20 minutes of arriving at the hospital! He weighed 6 lbs. 4 ozs and was 19 1/4 inches long. He has lots of hair and long fingers and toes. We are all doing great and getting to know each other and testing our tolerances for sleep deprivation. - Glen, Tamara and Aidan Ketchian

Happ-E-Quote:) "He who listens to his heart will set his own inner life in order, master his animal passions, and be at peace with himself, be happy and blessed as no disordered soul can be, however pampered by wealth or high estate." - Socrates, lived two thousand four hundred years ago.

Happ-E-Mail:) My prayers for Tom and his Family. -- Kamal --

Happ-E-Quote:) "Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world, indeed it's the only thing that has." - Margaret Mead

Happ-E-Mail:) I am so sorry to hear that Tom Finelli passed away. It is so sad to lose a friend. Tom is one that you collaborated with in setting up the web sight for the happiness club, this must bring many memories. My memory of Tom is of one night, after a meeting at the Fairfield Library. We crossed the street to have an ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Standing outside, on the sidewalk I made some bold statement, that I felt that I had been blessed or was lucky for some reason. Tom looked up and stepped back, as if he was moving out of the way of the piano that was hanging over my head, waiting to drop. We laughed, it was a funny response to my story.
Please convey my condolences to Theresa, and his sons, Tom, Nick and Dan. There is no greater loss than theirs. My story may not offer comfort, but the analogy of never knowing when the piano is going to drop effects us all. That night, Tom gave me comfort, gave me friendship, and with you Lionel, helped me to find my way. His work with you, helped people, certainly many more people than me. That was one good night, thank you Tom Finelli. Thank you Lionel, I am sorry for your loss. - Jim Comstock

Happ-E-Quote:) "If you judge people, you have no time to love them." - Mother Teresa

Happ-E-Mail:) I am so sorry to hear of the loss of Tom Finelli. He was such a special human being with extraordinary qualities and will be deeply missed. For the first time I looked at you web site and saw his genius. Tom had incredible gifts and talents and used them to serve others in beautiful ways. We are so fortunate to have been touched by him in our lives, and blessed with his presence. My deepest condolences to you, the members of our club, and to his loving family. He is missed and will always be. I pray for the strength, courage, and trust to endure during these sad times. With sympathy and prayers, Marianne

Happ-E-Quote:) "There is no duty we so underrate as the duty to be happy." - Robert Louis Stevenson

Happ-E-Mail:) I am sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Even though he was young it seems as if he lived a full, loving and happy life. Take care, Michael

Happ-E-Quote:) "To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness." - Bertrand Russell

Happ-E-Mail:) I am sooooo sorry for your loss. My prayers are with his family and friends. - Lisa

Happ-E-Wish:) Congratulations to Meredith & David Obreiter. They were married on July 5th, in a beautiful ceremony. We send Meredith and David the very best wishes for Health, Peace and Happiness.

Happ-E-Quote:) "Unshared joy is an unlighted candle." - Spanish Proverb

Happ-E-Mail:) I am still shocked......I am trying to find words, but they are none......I think the happy faces, speak loudly......I think all the positive things we remember about Tom, will live on......I am sorry I was unable to attend the functions....Are you going to do something within the Happiness Club, to honor Tom? I think it would be very positive.....Also for his family.......At the zoo, they have plaques.......Does the library have any bricks, where we could put one for Tom, with a smiley face....It is just a thought.....Or his kids school.......Have a great day, and let's be happy...... Ciao.....Don :) :) :)

Happ-E-Quote:) "What people get admired and appreciated for in community are their soft skills: their sense of humor and timing, their ability to listen, their courage and honesty, their capacity for empathy." - M. Scott Peck

Happ-E-Mail:) Sorry for the loss of a good friend....have a great day and week... :-) Bambi

Happ-E-Quote:) "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." - Albert Pike

Happ-E-Mail:) Sorry you lost a good friend. Bonnie

Happ-E-Quote:) "We have not come into the world to be a number; we have been created for a purpose, for great things: To love and be loved." - Mother Teresa

Happ-E-Mail:) It is good to hear that so many people went to pay their respects, hopefully that will give some measure of comfort to his family. The next few months will be difficult, after the shock wears off, the pain begins. Children, of the ages you mentioned are going to feel a sense of abandonment, no matter how rational they might be. My thoughts are with his family and friends. I am sure they will all rally around his wife and children. Surely happiness will slowly return, with time. Even in chaos there are moments of joy..Please offer my condolences. Thank you for your kind words, one cannot hear "I love you" too often, right back at you, see you in the fall, Dal.

Happ-E-Quote:) "Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind." - Aristotle (384BC - 322BC) Greek writer, philosopher

Happ-E-Mail:) Dear Lionel, Thanks for the note.I appreciate that you took the time to write. Tom lead a good and happy life along with loving friends and family. I will remember his smile and hug the first time he welcomed a much apprehensive Barbara to the Happiness Club. It was like home- I knew I belonged. Even though this past year has been trying for me, with every newsletter and thought I was right there beside you in spirit ...next year a much more committed effort to be there in body too; and perhaps I can share some of my life with our happy friends. Peace,love,happiness, and HEALTH!!!!!! Love and kisses, Barbara

Happ-E-Quote:) "To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end in life." - Baruch Spinoza

Happ-E-Mail:) I am very sorry for the passing of your friend. I am sorry for your pain (along with Terry and the boys). It reminds me that life is short and we must surround ourselves with as much happiness as we can. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Know that I love you too and may peace be with you, and all your family. Look forward to hearing from you. Love Michael

Happ-E-Quote:) "The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind." - Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850 - 1919) US writer, poet, journalist

BE HAPPY ZONE
Fairfield Citizen-News
July 17, 2002

A Praiseworthy Man of Happiness!
By Lionel Ketchian

Thomas Finelli was that man! On July 4, 2002, the world lost a good man. I met Tom Finelli in October of 1999 at a Coaching meeting in Fairfield. We spoke and got to know, and like each other immediately. I have known Tom for less than three years. But we seemed to pack a lifetime of experiences into those few years. Tom was leader and a man that really believed in the concept of Being Happy. He knew that Happiness was a way to deal with the world we live in and make it a better world. He understood the concepts and spent a great deal of time delivering that message to people around the world. The web site, www.happinessclub.com, he helped to create was only one of those ways.

What do the rest of us do when we lose someone we were close to? I will tell you what Tom did when he lost his younger brother, Brian because of a drunk driver in 1999. Let me share a letter with you I received. Dear Lionel, Let me introduce myself. My name is Jane Heady and I am the former Executive Director/Victim Advocate for the Litchfield County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. I came to know Tom on a very personal level during that most difficult time in his life. I am truly saddened to learn of his sudden death. He was a wonderful person who thought very highly of you! He always wanted me to go to a Happiness Club meeting but I had a conflicting MADD meeting on that same night, so I never made it. But I was always very interested in your newsletters and Website.

Tom was a great guy (not that I need to tell you that). I remember the first time that we met regarding his case. He wanted to know what he could do for MADD and already had many ideas in his head. Soon after that he did all of the work himself and gave computer classes to benefit the chapter. Then last year I moved to Florida, leaving the MADD chapter that my husband and I built. He was one of the founding members and I worked with the Chapter since 1986. When I left they were in dire need of a President and Tom stepped up to the plate in their time of need. I do not know where they would be today if he had not come forward.

I am proud to say that I knew him. He set a great example for many of us, in his short lifetime. The most precious lesson that I learned at my time at MADD was this: life it precious and too short. We can ask why things happen the way that they do but sometimes we do not find the answer for years to come and sometimes we never find the answer in this lifetime. But Tom left behind a legacy of caring and giving that can be an example for many of us and he lived his life to the fullest. Tom Finelli will be sorely missed by many. Sincerely, Jane Heady.

Thomas E. Finelli was 43 years of age. He was born in Haverhill, Mass., on March 8, 1959. His wife Theresa and their three wonderful young sons, Tom, Nick and Dan live in Monroe.

Tom Finelli's obituary in the July 7, Connecticut Post Newspaper contained the following: Tom was a U.S. Army veteran. He graduated from Sacred Heart University and also attended Fairfield University. Tom was a product and process quality specialist for Sikorsky Aircraft of Stratford. He served as a rector at St. Jude Parish, where he was recently accepted into the Deaconate program of which he was very proud. Tom was a member of the Knights of Columbus of Monroe, the Nazareth Spiritual Life Center Advisory Committee, past president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and was a founding member of the Happiness Club of Fairfield. He was a loving husband and devoted father who wanted to serve the Lord. Tom will be remembered as a kind, gentle person with a great sense of humor. He always believed in giving of yourself to others, because that is where you will find true happiness.

On Sunday, July 7, Tom was waked. In the first 15 minutes the sign-in book was filled, there was no more room in the parking lot, and the funeral parlor was crowded with people. I went to many florists to ask them to make a smiley face flower arrangement. They said they could not do it, because of a shortage of yellow flowers for the weekend. My wife, my daughter and I ended up making one. A lot of work, with over 500 flowers, but it came out beautiful. Tom's wife, Terry said that it would be fine to have it there, I had asked her beforehand. She said they were laying Tom to rest with a smiley face pillow, and the kids had other smiley face items in the casket with him.

On Monday, July 8, Ed Hendricks, a Sacred Heart University Professor and Deacon gave Tom a ullage in the Catholic Church. He said to hundreds and hundreds of people: "Tom was a cofounder of the Happiness Club of Fairfield and has now gone on to start a Happiness Club in Heaven." He ended his talk with: "WATCH OUT! HERE COMES TOM!"

I followed the cars in an endless procession of vehicles. There were more than 50 cars in the funeral procession. This was a marvelous testament to a well-respected and loved human being.

In the last week of his life Tom updated the Happinessclub web site with new information and a new look, with new designs, because he wanted you to be happy. I am proud of Tom, and so many of you that I have come to know and love that are spreading happiness to others. I know for sure that as we all do this simple act of giving happiness to others we cannot help but end up giving it to ourselves.

The author of these words is anonymous, but the message is perfect: "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our soul to dance. They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same."

Tom was a success! Tom made a difference, and I really believe that the happiness he had been giving to others is the happiness he takes with him. Tom's last words to me in an e-mail on June 30, were Be Happy! My last words to him in an e-mail on July 1, three days before he died were I Love You! I am glad we both said what we thought to each other. We can all learn a lesson from this. Life is a gift we are given, and happiness is a gift we can give. Life if short - Be Happy! I LOVE YOU!

Lionel Ketchian is the founder of the Happiness Club, a Happiness Coach, and can be reached at PrintLRK@aol.com. The Web site is www.HappinessClub.com.

Share a smile and forward this motivating Happ-E-Newsletter to your friends and family members you care about. Brighten their day by giving them a FREE Newsletter. Or, it's FREE, and easy to subscribe. Just send your blank e-mail to happinessclub@aol.com, or subscribe online at: www.happinessclub.com.