Happiness is...

Remember, way back when, perhaps in the early seventies when it was somewhat of a fad to construct sentences, aphorisms that began with Happiness is... They were on t-shirts and posters and cartoons.  Just about everywhere.  Question is, were we generally happier back then?  Answer in one way, not definitive or absolute, may simply be that we were younger and there was less to worry about.  Us tail end of the baby boomers, generally didn’t have children or huge debts to be concerned about. Yes, there was the Vietnam war but it was over there and very vocal student demonstrations and protests showed us how the mass media and a great group of loudly committed folks could put an end to war, at least that one. 

Now, well we’ve got Facebook and Twitter, are they as effective in creating social change? Perhaps, more people are aware of more injustices. Are those officials we elected to serve us sitting up and noticing the numbers?  More to the point would be are these elected politicians happy with how they serve? Do they take regular integrity checks? Do they really care? I don’t know.  

But, I’ve digressed here.  Happiness.  Happiness. So many questions, is happiness a right?  The world hasn’t always been a happy place, times were tough, people struggled to find sustenance, be safe and most died relatively young. Some parts of the world are still like that. Perhaps, the definition of happiness has evolved and changed like everything...

However, I believe, although happiness is an inside job, it also ripples outward. Anger and happiness don’t tend to occupy the same space and time. Really, what exactly is this state called happiness?  For some happiness hinges on the accumulation of stuff and status. For others community grows happiness.  

For me, right now, in this moment, happiness is this. Happiness snuggled closely in the arms of love. Just this. Exactly as it is. There’s nothing I can do or would want to do to make this moment any better then it is. 

Is it my right to be happy?  It’s my choice.  

“Love is but a song we sing. Fear’s the way we die.”

“Come Together”, the Youngbloods, was an anthem of the sixties.