Got a Happy Story is a community gathering every Monday night where we share stories large and small that have put a smile on our face. The Happy Story diary exists as a way to anchor the community in hope and comfort while we do the hard work of maintaining a permanent Democratic majority. Everyone and all sorts of stories and pictures are welcome. Consider this an open thread.
What is it that makes us happy? What is happiness? Is it the living-fully-in-the-moment state that Thorton Wilder challenged us to try to feel ‘every, every minute’ in Our Town, acknowledging that even saints and poets only manage that some of the time. Is it the absence of the impatience and disquietedness that we feel when we are uncomfortable with how our life is going? Well, it’s less than the unnaturally heightened sense that Wilder was getting at that we can only rarely experience, and it’s more than being physically and emotionally unfettered.
I’d call myself a generally happy person, but am wary of those who are too upbeat. Life has ups and downs and one cannot gloss over the vicissitudes. In fact, what makes us happy is working hard to make our life more like we want it to be and enjoying being in the moment as much as possible--while recognizing that idealized happiness may be elusive. We have all said to ourselves, ‘if only such and such was happening in my life, I would be happy’. Then, when it happens—say we are earning more, like we wanted—we find that this alone hasn't made us happy.
This past year I have had the opportunity to think about happiness and its lack quite a bit. I had major surgery in March and went through chemo that ended two months ago. It was really tough sometimes and I often said to myself as a necessary encouragement: ‘It’s going to be great when this is over. I will feel so good all of the time.’
So, here I am. The harrowing times are over. My health has returned. I feel strong and can do everything needed to keep life in order. Do I feel good all the time? No. But, here’s the point. When I don’t feel good, I recall how much worse things were not so long ago. This gives me an inner strength that I did not posses before. It gives me a calmness that was not possible before. And, I have a kind of happiness that I could not have before—a deeper and more understanding one that recognizes the fragility of life and its wonder a la Wilder.
When we go through tough times, it’s hard to imagine being happy again. If you are going through a difficult time, know that when you come out the other side, you’ll be a better person: if you let yourself be. Don’t let tough times make you bitter, or you’ll miss out on life forever after that. If you haven't already, acquire perspective about life's ups and downs. Then, when you are up again, you’ll have a happy story to tell.
Tell us your happy story today - in the comments. We’d love to hear it.
Everyone is invited to write Got a Happy Story? Even if things are not going so well we all have something happy to share. Why not sign up and share something good from either your past, your present or tell a story about a hopeful future.
The following authors will be writing Got a Happy Story?
Dec 14...Yasuragi
Dec 21...Eddie C
Dec 28...teacherken
Jan 4... Spedwybabs
Jan 11...Eddie C
Jan 18...
Jan 26...
Feb 1... Spedwybabs
Feb 8... kimoconnor
Feb 15...
Feb 22...
Mar 1...Spedwybabs
Mar 8...
Mar 15...
Mar 22...
Mar 29...
Just reply here or check Eddie C's page for his e-mail and sign up there.