| 3/03/2005 |
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SAVE IT FOR A RAINY DAY by The Jayhawks
I may not know the right things to say. I may not be the best at speaking my mind. So sometimes I like to point out when other people have said what I feel to be true.
Ode To Joy (Hopefully that link didn't change to something else in the meantime.)
Have we forgotten how to be happy? What type of motivation does it take to make us feel like we want to accomplish something. Or maybe it's better to put it... Have we forgotten to enjoy the simple things in life?
I used to have a picture at my desk of a serene beach setting at dusk. Beneath it read, "If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all that it takes to motivate you, you probably have an easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon."
Now while the saying is meant tounge-in-cheek, having it at my desk was meant in the same way, because I liked the job I was doing and didn't need a pretty poster or cute saying to motivate me. I didn't need a pep talk to make me want to get out of bed. I didn't need to see a baby with spaghetti on it's head to make me smile. Becuase there were everyday occurences that I had. A sunny day. A song that I knew all the words. Hearing a close friend laugh unabashedly. Feel free to break into song from the Sound of Music at any time while reading this. While things have somewhat changed, I still like being surrounded by things that make me happy, things that make me smile.
My point is... I agree with what this writer of that article is saying. "We've lost sight of rituals of happiness." We all have our own lives with our own trials and obstacles. We'll make sure our taxes are done, but how many make sure that they've smiled or been happy at some point during the day?
The article was motivated by the removal of "The Gates" from Central Park in NYC. I would've loved to have been in a position to see them. The brain child of Christo & Jeanne Claude, imagine a series of large croquet wickets that stretched for over 23 miles, with large sheets of warm yellowish-orange fabric hanging from each one.
There is an episode of The Simpsons where Homer takes a stab at being an artist, a la Christo. Very avant garde. In his grand scheme Homer snorkels all the zoo animals and, steals the welcome mats from everyone's doorsteps, and floods the town with water. Marge, who has been jealous of Homer's instant art fame, after dreaming of being a painter herself, sees how happy such a 'simple' thing has made everyone. It didn't have to be a pretty picture. It didn't have to be a motivational schpeil. It could be in the most mundane (or in this case the most sublime) of events. She'd overlooked it, forgotten about it.
So while taking the time to enjoy a parade or laugh at a good movie, sit outside in the sun or snuggle in the blankets on a cold day, might seem like there isn't time for, because you've got A, B, and C to acoomlish on your list. Would it kill us to make sure that at least one of those things is making sure we're happy? |
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I posted this @ 3/03/2005 02:56:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
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