All I Want Is To Be Happy!

Is that all?  What else is there?  There's a real interest these days in happiness and how to be happy and what makes us happy.  And really, why not?  But when people say if you could have one wish, what would you wish for and people say, very modestly, "oh, all I want is to be happy".  Oh come on, of course.  That's what all of us want. 

What makes us happy?  Lots of people think it's money.  And it's certainly hard to be happy if you have none.  If you had nowhere to go and nothing to eat, it would be nearly impossible to be happy.  I say nearly impossible, because I still think you could hear a bird singing (like the brave little song sparrow who lives in the cedar bush at the front of our house), and be really happy for a moment, even if you had nothing.  (That little bird makes every day lovelier for me and he doesn't even know it.  He's singing for himself, but I benefit from it enormously.  I can't feel sorry for myself when I hear him and then, when I look up and see him, a plain, grey/brown little bird with his head lifted up and his little beak open to sing, I feel even happier).

But the research shows that rich people aren't necessarily happier than any of the rest of us.  Research also shows that societies are generally happier if there isn't a huge difference between the rich and the poor.   The Scandinavian countries are in the top ten and are followed by Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria.  One expert said that one thing that characterizes Danes, who are apparently the happiest people on earth, is that they have relatively low expectations.  At least, as far as material things go.

In the situation I am in now, I realize how important it is to have good health.  Without your health, happiness is impossible.  If you're sick or in pain or struggling with physical or mental health issues, it is all consuming.  My sister said, that since Mike has been in the hospital and is struggling to speak or move, she has become more aware of how amazing it is to be able to walk down the street or make dinner or do any of the things we take for granted.  I guess it is one of those boring benefits that we can't appreciate until we realize what a remarkable thing it is to be able to take a deep breath and feel our body relax, to really relish the flavours of some delicious food, to lie down at night and close our eyes and drift off to a restful sleep, that "balm of hurt minds".  So if some magic being offers you a wish (with the caveat that you can't ask for more wishes -- I think all the smart fairies know about that by now), wish for good health and then take care of the other things that might bring you happiness yourself.