Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Happiness

Kim just stated that she's "happy". Apart from us all being so pleased that she's reached that state of nirvana after all the rough times she's had the past few years, it got me thinking about the physical feeling of being "happy".

For most of us, happiness occurs when at least one of our prerequisites is being met. There has never been a time in my memory when all my needs were completely satisfied and that's probably because we humans are too greedy. We always want more. But we can all remember the burst of happy energy when we are with someone we love and haven't seen for a while, or that happy little thrill when we win a game. These are minor things for the most part but they are still capable of giving us a burst of "happiness".

Maintaining that feeling means the burst of happiness has settled down to a glow which sort of hangs on, making us smile without even realizing it. The feeling of longlasting happiness is mellow and I believe it actually has a healing quality. It's also during those happy spells that we have confidence we can succeed at whatever we attempt.

People who are happy look good. I'll always remember a lady I worked with years ago. She almost looked ethereal in appearance as she strode down the hallway to our office with a sweet smile on her face. She was happily pregnant and her inner happiness shone out all around her. That aura of happiness is like a magnet because you want to be close to a happy person. It's infectious because it raises your spirits, too, by osmosis.

Human beings are strange creatures. It doesn't really take much to make us happy if we're not greedy. A loving touch, a sunny day, a kind word. We could all easily live out happy lives if we choose.

I hope we all allow ourselves to be happy today.

4 comments:

Kim said...

I believe happiness is a choice. Being miserable and unhappy is also a choice. I choose happy.
Life is too short for anything else.

patsyrose said...

I read that somewhere a while back and it hit so close to home that I've never forgotten it. I wish I'd learned it earlier in life.

Shelley said...

I had two patients come in at the same time today for their flu shots. It made me do a little happy dance and one of them laughed, saying "You really do love your job, don't you?"...My peculiar enjoyment of giving shots is well known around the Embassy. Whatever makes you happy? LOL

patsyrose said...

I remember when the best way to stop you crying when you were hurt was to show you the blood. You were always fascinated with it...I'm not sure that's a good sign for a nurse! LOL!