I think it’s a valid question these days. It’s a lot easier to ask “what makes you unhappy?” Quick, whip out your list, or just think of all of the awful things going on right on. It’s easy. So, I’m asking a not-so-easy question - what makes you happy? I think we can program ourselves to always look at the negatives, the defectives, the things we need to fix, clean up, improve upon, change, throw out. It’s another thing, a novel thing, a groundbreaking thing, to stop out automatic thinking, become more positive, conscious, awake and aware. And present. Let’s start with the basics. It makes me happy that I can breathe. It makes me happy that I have delicious food I can eat. It makes me happy that I have a dependable care that I can drive when I need to. It makes me happy that my children are all healthy. It makes me happy to see a beautiful sunset (and we’ve had some doozies lately, haven’t we?). It makes me happy to see that bright, full moon shining through my bedroom window. It makes me happy to sit in the sun in the afternoon. It makes me happy to pet Jack, my cat.
Some things are making me VERY happy these days. Playing cello makes me very very happy. Why? Because I’m following a dream - literally, a dream I had months ago. It’s more than that dream - it was that FEELING in my body when I played the cello that was so magical. I was curious to see if it would be the same if I played the cello in ‘real’ life. Yesterday I picked up my bow and clumsily pulled it across the G string (I remember the strings by saying “All Dogs Get Cuddled"). The feeling was stronger than after my first lesson, and that made me very, very happy. I think I’m onto something. I love my cello.
It doesn’t cost me much, all of these things that are making me happy, and that’s my point, I guess. I’m thinking that the things that are making me most happy are either free, or at least aren’t really about money. It makes me happy to be with my friends. It makes me happy to play Battleship with my 10 year old. It makes me happy to read. It makes me very happy to write. Am I making sense? Do you understand what I’m trying to get at? There will always be things to be unhappy about. My root canal went great, but at the same time, they found that a previous root canal didn’t ‘take,’ so I have to go in again next week for a surgical procedure on THAT tooth. But I’m not unhappy about it - I’m not even scared. Why? Because my heart is so full of all of these things that are making me so happy that I don’t have the desire to be scared or sad. Yes, some things ARE sad, and it’s fine to feel sad. When that happens to me I just sit with that feeling - sit WITH the feeling, as if it were a dear friend of mine who needed me to be with them. I breathe with the feeling, embrace it, accept it. Then everything’s just fine. Fine as in ‘perfect,’ like fine wine, or fine jewelry.
I think of one of my favorite Peanuts songs - “Happiness.” It goes a little something like this: “ Happiness is finding a pencil, pizza with sausage, telling the time (these are not the original words I learned, but still good). Happiness is learning to whistle. Tying your shoe for the very first time. Happiness is playing the drum (or cello!) in your own school band. And happiness is walking hand in hand. Happiness is two kinds of ice cream. Knowing a secret. Climbing a tree. Happiness is five different crayons. Catching a firefly. Setting him free. Happiness is being alone every now and then. And happiness is coming home again. Happiness is morning and evening, day time and night time too. For happiness is anyone and anything at all that’s loved by you.”
It goes on a little longer, but you get the idea. I’ve heard it said that the best things in life aren’t things, and I’ve got to say that for the most part I agree. For me, one of the best things in life is feeling happy. I want to know - what DOES make you happy? Have you thought about it lately?