Recently a large study was done on the life of centenarians, persons who had lived to be 100 years old and beyond. The common thread of all these lives was the ability to cope with loss in life. Whether it was the loss of a life partner, companion, a child, relative or a beloved pet, our ability to move forward in life was largely due to how we deal with the passing of those we hold dear.

Another study was conducted on happiness. All around the world, people were studied and asked, what was it that made us happy? Well, not money or possessions, fame or friendships, but actually the ability to control our own set of circumstances. It comes down to perception. How we choose to see our circumstances. The thought that the control we have is enough.

One thing for certain is that time is ever-changing. So our only real commodity is the here and now. Surviving loss is acceptance. That is also a big part of life itself. Many things in life are not fair and our perception of the control we have has a lot to do with our health and well-being. It may even be the link to our happiness. When we feel in touch with our emotion, feel right in our heads about life, it gives to our physical health and colours our spirit as well.

So our outlook about life and our purpose in it is a very personal point of view. Our connection to others makes each day different, worthwhile and a full experience. How we choose to accept the

changes and move forward is also entirely in our hands, minds and hearts. The same place where we hold all the beautifull memories too.