Reminding you to make the "Happiness Decision." Letting you know about our meeting dates, giving you happiness information, and your latest copy of the Be Happy Zone Article's that are published every other Wednesday in the Fairfield Citizen-News. At the end of this newsletter you can read the latest article called: Doctor of the Soul.

"Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me." - Carol Burnett
Think Smart, Look Smart, Be Smart...Be Happy! - Lionel

Happ-E-Quote:) "We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people." - Arthur Schopenhauer

Happ-E-Mail:) Received this mail from Dr. Bernie Siegel on June 26th, the next day after the dinner. Good Morning! Thank you for a terrific evening and may Bell's Palsy move into your past as you look forward. Peace, Bernie

Happ-E-Quote:) "Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." - Henry David Thoreau

Happ-E-Website:) Ingrid Collins, a consultant psychologist at the London Medical Centre, told BBC News Online: "I would be very surprised if people sat down and had to work out whether they were happy or not. "We can all be happy in a heartbeat if we make the decision to be so." Click here: BBC NEWS | Health | The formula for happiness

Happ-E-Mail:) Many thanks for all you are and all you do. Last night was a resounding success from every which way. The program with YOU, Dr. Ellis, Lynette, and Bernie along with the great food, and people were perfect. You obviously put a lot of effort into this event and I want you to know how much Cliff and I enjoyed the evening and appreciate all you are and all you do. Bernie is an inspiration to so many of us. Wish we all had doctors like Bernie. On the other hand he is a doctor of the Soul for all of us just as you said. - Marianne Schorer

Happ-E-Quote:) "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." -Oscar Wilde

Happ-E-Mail:) What a wonderful event the dinner with Bernie Siegel and his wife was. A good time was had by all. Bernie is such an amazing soul. I could listen to him for hours. He's smart, very funny, spiritual and a joy to be around. The positive energy in the room was buzzing. I also felt very honored that you asked me to sing one of my songs. Now I have yet another beautiful memory. I think the most poignant message for me was the reminder to "live in the moment." I do that a good potion of the time now, but it was marvelous to be reminded. Thanks again and see you when I return from my trip home to Alaska. Light, peace, and happiness, Love, Lynette

Happ-E-Quote:) "Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret - curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable." - Walt Disney

Happ-E-Mail:) Dear Lionel, Thank you again for the wonderful presentation. The residents really enjoyed what you had to say. They actually all left smiling and that is a major accomplishment. I look forward to having you come back again real soon to share some more information. I have really enjoyed the newsletters so I thank you again and look forward to future issues. Look forward to getting that additional information around the holidays for the Basket Brigade. My best and keep smiling.
Margie, 3030 Park Avenue, Bridgeport.

Happ-E-Quote:) "The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible." - Richard M. DeVos

Happ-E-Mail:) This mail was sent to us from: Barbara Hoberman Levine, author of YOUR BODY BELIEVES EVERY WORD YOU SAY. "History teaches us that men behave wisely, once they have exhausted all other alternatives." - Abba Eban

NEXT HAPPINESS CLUB MEETING:) Have a nice summer:)
Topic:) "TIME FOR HAPPINESS"
Date:) September 18, 2003
Time:) 7:00 - 8:45 P.M.
Place:) Fairfield Public Library
In the:) Memorial Room (upstairs)
Address:) 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT

BE HAPPY ZONE
Fairfield Citizen-News
July 2, 2003

Doctor of the Soul
By Lionel Ketchian

Dr. Bernie Siegel was honored for his life's work by The Happiness Club. Ninety-five people came out to share love and a happy meal with Dr. Siegel, who insists on being called "Bernie." We came to honor him; he came to enlighten us. We had a wonderful time at the Perpermill Restaurant in Westport, and shared lifelong memories with Bernie and his wife Bobbie. During the evening Bernie shared many fabulous stories about his life experiences.

We had a beautiful cake for Bernie with a big rainbow on the top of it. The reason for the rainbow is that In Love, Medicine & Miracles, the first book Bernie wrote in 1986, a psychologist, named Lee contracted cancer. "Lee told his doctors that he wanted more than a miserable few years on drugs. He wanted to beat the whole thing. He charted his own course of psychological readjustment and nutritional therapy. His oncologist told him he was "just chasing rainbows." Since the rainbow is a universal symbol of hope and life, that was just what he needed to hear. He is now alive and well, outdoing his specialist's prediction with no recurrence, despite abandoning standard medical treatment." Since then Lee has helped conduct some of the ECaP, Exceptional Cancer Patients workshops.

During the evening the Happiness Club presented Bernie with a plaque with the words "Bernie Siegel, M.D., Doctor of the Soul." Bernie wears a bracelet with the following initials on it, W.W.L.D. I will let you think about what it stands for and tell you what it is later. Bernie claims he is no longer a surgeon, yet he cut us up and kept us in stitches by telling us stories and making us laugh…he sent us healing energy. He may no longer "physically" be doing surgery, but he still operates and he certainly can do it "mentally." Without laying a finger on us he touched each one of us deeply.

In Love, Medicine & Miracles, Bernie said, "The simple truth is, happy people generally don't get sick. One's attitude toward oneself is the single most important factor in healing or staying well. Those who are at peace with themselves and their immediate surroundings have far fewer serious illnesses than those who are not."

Bernie asked us this question, "If I were to show you a picture, what is there about all of us that would always be the same in the picture I showed you." Bernie said, "It would be a picture of any of you cut open on an operating table. On the inside we are all the exact same color. We are only different on the outside, so we know who we are. Bernie says, "I know as a surgeon, that we are one family, despite our actions, because we are all the same color on the inside.

Bernie told us that love is very powerful, it can eliminate any problem. If you love people you have no enemies. He told us a story about a time he pulled into a parking space and a woman was so mad that she got out of her car and came over to him yelling and screaming. People gathered around to see what was going to happen next. Bernie just walked over to her and said, "I LOVE YOU." She turned around got in her car and drove away. He says that when you are enlightened, you will understand the power of love. So ask yourself why we say "kill with kindness," torment with tenderness," love thine enemies" and love thy neighbor as thyself." Bernie says, "There in lies the answer to life and enlightenment."

Bernie told us that he fell off his roof several years ago and hit his head. He said a beautiful woman bent over him and asked, "Are you all right?" He said yes, I'm fine, but who are you. It was his wife Bobbie. Bernie said that he developed amnesia and that it was a great thing. He lived with this beautiful woman and these great kids. The amnesia dramatically improved his marriage and family life.

When his memory returned, he had a difficult time with his wife and children because he remembered all their faults. A therapist friend of his told him that he could save years of therapy if he just would go home and read I Corinthians, 13:13, "But now faith, hope, love, abideth these three; but greatest of these is love." Bernie says that until you are enlightened and capable of loving completely, try amnesia in your relationships and daily life. It will help immensely.

If that doesn't appeal to you, then the next time you don't know what to do and seek the enlightened choice ask yourself (W.W.L.D.), "What Would Lassie Do." When you don't know what to do just think of what a dog would lovingly do in the same situation.

In Love, Medicine & Miracles, Bernie wrote, "he had finished a difficult emergency abdominal operation on a young, very obese man. His heart stopped just as they were about to move him to the recovery room. He did not respond to resuscitation, and the anesthesiologist had given up and was walking out the door when Bernie spoke out loud into the room, "Harry, it's not your time. Come on back." At once the cardiogram began to show electrical activity, and the man ultimately recovered fully." Bernie shows us that the "Power of Love," can truly work miracles in all of us.

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.

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"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." - Frank Outlaw

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© Copyright 2003, Lionel R. Ketchian, all rights reserved.