Happiness is like that bright, elusive butterfly of love. It seems as though it is within reaching distance, it could even be held, then softly, silently, it flutters away, still somewhere out of reach but still visible. The very glimpse of its ephemeral beauty is a cause for happiness, which is one way of saying that it is the small things in life, which are many and often, that let me find myself happy. The whole idea of happiness, if put under closer scrutiny, is a myth, something we all buy into and search for constantly. The words “If only I…” define this quest, while all the time, there is much to be happy about right here, right now.
The searching and striving are what prevent true, simple happiness. The human psyche yearns for a continuous state of positive euphoria, or at least a secure contentment. So your definition of what and how often you are happy, is bound to be totally different to another’s. For example, the boy who is homeless, sleeping rough on the streets, may consider a small place of his own, with a comfortable bed, enough food and a front door that locks, to be the height of blissful happiness. How often can such a young person, or others in similar circumstances, find themselves happy? Yet a smile, a cup of coffee or a kind word from a stranger can bring about a surge of happiness, soon gone, but experienced all the same.
That example illustrates for me how it is indeed the small things that can bring happiness. For me, as this title demands a personal response, I would have to say I often find myself happy if I live in the moment. It is hard to grasp that moment sometimes, because outside influences, life’s vicissitudes, and often dreadful circumstances, impact negatively.
Quite recently, I spent several weeks in unspeakable fear after a diagnosis of breast cancer, with a mastectomy looming. My biggest fear, one that leached all happiness from my life, was the anaesthetic. I was sure I would not live through it. When I actually found myself alive after it, never mind bruises, drains, pains and mutilation, I was literally over the moon with happiness. This was further enhanced by the smiles of my family, the care I received, and a simple chicken salad sandwich the nurses had put in the fridge for me.
See what I mean about how small things make me happy? I find myself happy often, though like most of the rest of humanity, I find reasons not to be so. Maybe if I count up the smiles of children, the song of a blackbird, the smell of new-mown grass, the laughter of friends, the absolute ridiculousness of life, the happiness will be better recognized and appreciated. Or at least, I will come to realize that I am more often happy than I thought I was. Now that is a revelation well worth holding on to.
