Blog 205 – 01.12.2016

There was a popular song in the early 1960s sung by the Ray Conniff Singers called Happiness Is. Many sentiments have been expressed in many places and by many people on the subject of happiness. The pursuit of it is one of the inalienable rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. I think that each of us has a very personal definition of what happiness is to us but I am equally sure that we can agree on some common definitions of happiness. With my brother, Robert, I think, we can also say in regards to those we love, “All I ever wanted was for you to be happy.”

What is happiness for you? And what are you willing to invest in your pursuit of happiness? Did you ever hear the expression, “He/she seems to be throwing away happiness with both hands.”? Here is how I think that works. We make these great intentions with our thoughts, words, and maybe we even take a few steps in the right direction and then we get scared or listen to those nagging, nay saying voices in our head, and tragically we start hearing our own voice saying things like, “But I can’t, I am not strong enough, smart enough, pretty or popular enough.” And then without realizing it we have sabotaged our own intentions. We have become guilty of throwing away our own happiness with our own hands.

In one of my all time favorite movies, Forest Gump with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, there are many moving scenes and great lines. And a particular one comes to mind. Forest is visiting Jenny at her college, an all girl school, and after a tender love scene where Forest soils her roommates robe the two are talking and Jenny asks, “Forest, what are you going to be when you grow up?” And Forest in his simple minded wisdom replies, “Aren’t I going to be me.” Within everyone of us there are dreams and desires that if just allowed to grow will blossom into happiness not just for ourselves but for all those we touch.

I am attaching a wonderful quote from John Lennon with this about happiness but I also hear in my head as I pen this piece his voice and Paul McCartney’s voice singing “Let It Be.” That, my friends, in three simply lovely words is the secret to happiness, just let it be. I and everyone who genuinely cares for you, including yourself, want you to be happy, let it be.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White