I've been thinking a lot lately about happiness. How do you define it? Is it a static thing?
Well I reckon it's a very complex thing and highly individual too. What makes me happy may not make another happy and vice versa. Happiness, I believe, is a choice. Yip, you heard me right! There is no person, animal, thing or action that can make you happy unless you have happiness in your soul already. To create it, I think you need to make a decision each and every night and morning to be happy. How can anyone not lie down on a comfortable bed in a secure home, with food in your tummy, ready to recharge those batteries, and not find joy in that? How can anybody wake up, turn on the shower taps and step into a warm shower with clean water and soap and not find joy in that? And let's face it, if it's something we create, nobody can take it away from us! Yeah!!
Yes, most of us working class people have enormously rushed lives, and big stresses and it's very easy to get caught up in them. It's very easy to slip into a pity party when the young guy in the latest Jaguar growls past and you wonder "why isn't that me?". Life is a struggle but if you continue focusing on the stresses and struggles, you'll put out your little happiness light. For people with major health issues, life is often a daily struggle and I think for them it's vitally important to find things that lets their little happiness light burn bright.
Walking through the Mall, I was shocked. I love watching people, however, the shocking thing was that very few people looked happy. Where are the smiles? Yes, crime stats are up, the economy is down, yadda yadda, blah blah, but there is always something to smile about.
Come on people, let's spread a little cheer and get our little happiness lights shining! Do something crazy, something fun....something that makes your soul sing. It's contagious so let's go out there and spread the love!
It starts with a smile!
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| Photography: Nikki Biggs |
