Happiness. That is a huge word. It has so many different meanings to a wide variety of people. I have read about the Buddhist versions, metaphysical perspectives, and modern-day views. They all have different idea's on what makes a person happy. Guess what? I have my own take on it.
Today I see so many people that the word has nothing but monetary and selfish meaning to the word. People seem to not be happy unless they have the biggest and best toys. One neighbor must have everything that the guy across the street has. I believe that some people are so bad that I believe they would go to ridiculous lengths to satisfy their superior ‘happiness.’ This can be seen in the vehicles we have on our roads today. The Hummer is the best example. Even a civilian version of the vehicle is not a luxury vehicle. It is an oversized, gas guzzling, show piece. It says, “I have more money than sense.” Especially, when I see them with pimp paint job and gold spinning hubcaps.
I am for a more simple definition of happiness. When I was a child, it meant that I had the necessities in life. There was always food in my belly. It may not have been the food I wanted. Liver and onions are still a bane for me to this day. There was always a warm bed. Sometimes, that meant I had to share it with my brother. If you are old enough to remember heating your home with coal or wood, you will understand. There was many a night I can remember sharing a bred with my brother to conserve heat. I may have been sore from the elbows and knees. However, we were warm and cozy with half the blankets in the house piled on us.
There was also plenty of love to make us happy. I was not always certain that it was love. Mom was a tough lady. She could reach out and touch you with a belt or any thing she had handy, when you were breaking the rules. Her house shoes were the worst. Those rubber things hurt like crazy. My brother and I took turns hiding them, preferably at the bottom of the trash can. I never understood she loved us so much until I became a parent. You have to punish your children to make them better people and to teach them to respect rules. I just Mom had not loved quite so much, or so hard.
When I became a young man happiness was defined differently for me. It was less the comfort of life, but more the pleasures of life. The first thing you are thinking is X-rated I am sure. Shame on you! I was going to say a good book, a cold beer, and a good smoke. Sometimes it is better to talk about the smaller things that mean a great deal to us, than those larger aspects of our lives.
My books have given me great pleasure and comfort at times when there was nothing else to give me escape when I needed it. The places and events were light years from the pain and fear that were part of my life at times. I can remember a time when I, and my fellow soldiers, relied on books for our only form of entertainment. We would cut a book into separate chapters and pass them around. I know there are a lot of book lovers that cringe at that idea. However, that is the only way we all could enjoy the few we had.
Anyone that has enjoyed a cold beer on a hot day, after working hard, can understand why I included it. There were times when I tried to brew my own. This was when I was serving in countries where alcohol was not allowed. There were other times when I sat sipping some of the finest brew in the world, watching the world walk by. Like many others, I even used to drown out the darkness that I had known in life. That never worked. All I got was the ‘Mother of All Hangovers,’ and stories I can never tell my children.
I know it is not politically correct to say that smoking has given me comfort. But, it has. You finish a mission where you are not certain where you will live or die, that cigarette will seem real nice too you. I have seen men who have never smoked before, beg a smoke after surviving a nasty situation. I also had some of my best conversations while sharing a cigar under a dark night sky. Some of those conversations included a nice shot of scotch, and were debates over books. Ha, you can have all three at once.
Now, I find happiness in small things. My family is the main thing. I am not saying they are small. I am saying it is the little things that are so important. Everyone seems so busy these days, most forget to stop and enjoy what they have. My wife and children give me moments that I draw on when times are tough. These small moments make me a wealthy and happy man.
All parents know that wonderful quiet time when the children are all in bed and you have a few moments alone. There is seldom silence or time to relax in house full of children. You usually want to go to bed after they do, or finish some chore you couldn’t while they are awake because they wanted to help. When the moon shines right and the stars are aligned both parents can sit down and relax together. It is one of the few times that my wife and I can sit on the couch together and watch shows that do not involve muppets, puppets, or cartoons. When we are lucky we can both stay awake and finish the show.
I have three very different daughters. My Oldest tells me she is going to be an actress/rock star. She treats me too impromptu concerts and plays regularly. My middle daughter is a tomboy who will a gamer/veterinarian. She loves to have me tell her bedtime stories, choosing the oddest subjects for our tales. My baby girl is too young to choose a career. I would have to say now she is a monkey/princess. She tries to climb everything while wearing her dress and crown. Despite the differences, they are all very loving children. They will all pile on me while we watch television. I call it the ‘puppy pile.’ It is warm and cozy, except for the elbow in the ribs and the knee in the groin. Yet, there is nothing better.
Happiness is different things to different people at different times. To one person it could be a mansion on the hill. To another individual it is the salad from the vegetables they grew themselves. We can not be happy all the time. However, we can be most of the time. A person just needs to find those things that are truly important and focus on them. Everything else is background noise.
Today I see so many people that the word has nothing but monetary and selfish meaning to the word. People seem to not be happy unless they have the biggest and best toys. One neighbor must have everything that the guy across the street has. I believe that some people are so bad that I believe they would go to ridiculous lengths to satisfy their superior ‘happiness.’ This can be seen in the vehicles we have on our roads today. The Hummer is the best example. Even a civilian version of the vehicle is not a luxury vehicle. It is an oversized, gas guzzling, show piece. It says, “I have more money than sense.” Especially, when I see them with pimp paint job and gold spinning hubcaps.
I am for a more simple definition of happiness. When I was a child, it meant that I had the necessities in life. There was always food in my belly. It may not have been the food I wanted. Liver and onions are still a bane for me to this day. There was always a warm bed. Sometimes, that meant I had to share it with my brother. If you are old enough to remember heating your home with coal or wood, you will understand. There was many a night I can remember sharing a bred with my brother to conserve heat. I may have been sore from the elbows and knees. However, we were warm and cozy with half the blankets in the house piled on us.
There was also plenty of love to make us happy. I was not always certain that it was love. Mom was a tough lady. She could reach out and touch you with a belt or any thing she had handy, when you were breaking the rules. Her house shoes were the worst. Those rubber things hurt like crazy. My brother and I took turns hiding them, preferably at the bottom of the trash can. I never understood she loved us so much until I became a parent. You have to punish your children to make them better people and to teach them to respect rules. I just Mom had not loved quite so much, or so hard.
When I became a young man happiness was defined differently for me. It was less the comfort of life, but more the pleasures of life. The first thing you are thinking is X-rated I am sure. Shame on you! I was going to say a good book, a cold beer, and a good smoke. Sometimes it is better to talk about the smaller things that mean a great deal to us, than those larger aspects of our lives.
My books have given me great pleasure and comfort at times when there was nothing else to give me escape when I needed it. The places and events were light years from the pain and fear that were part of my life at times. I can remember a time when I, and my fellow soldiers, relied on books for our only form of entertainment. We would cut a book into separate chapters and pass them around. I know there are a lot of book lovers that cringe at that idea. However, that is the only way we all could enjoy the few we had.
Anyone that has enjoyed a cold beer on a hot day, after working hard, can understand why I included it. There were times when I tried to brew my own. This was when I was serving in countries where alcohol was not allowed. There were other times when I sat sipping some of the finest brew in the world, watching the world walk by. Like many others, I even used to drown out the darkness that I had known in life. That never worked. All I got was the ‘Mother of All Hangovers,’ and stories I can never tell my children.
I know it is not politically correct to say that smoking has given me comfort. But, it has. You finish a mission where you are not certain where you will live or die, that cigarette will seem real nice too you. I have seen men who have never smoked before, beg a smoke after surviving a nasty situation. I also had some of my best conversations while sharing a cigar under a dark night sky. Some of those conversations included a nice shot of scotch, and were debates over books. Ha, you can have all three at once.
Now, I find happiness in small things. My family is the main thing. I am not saying they are small. I am saying it is the little things that are so important. Everyone seems so busy these days, most forget to stop and enjoy what they have. My wife and children give me moments that I draw on when times are tough. These small moments make me a wealthy and happy man.
All parents know that wonderful quiet time when the children are all in bed and you have a few moments alone. There is seldom silence or time to relax in house full of children. You usually want to go to bed after they do, or finish some chore you couldn’t while they are awake because they wanted to help. When the moon shines right and the stars are aligned both parents can sit down and relax together. It is one of the few times that my wife and I can sit on the couch together and watch shows that do not involve muppets, puppets, or cartoons. When we are lucky we can both stay awake and finish the show.
I have three very different daughters. My Oldest tells me she is going to be an actress/rock star. She treats me too impromptu concerts and plays regularly. My middle daughter is a tomboy who will a gamer/veterinarian. She loves to have me tell her bedtime stories, choosing the oddest subjects for our tales. My baby girl is too young to choose a career. I would have to say now she is a monkey/princess. She tries to climb everything while wearing her dress and crown. Despite the differences, they are all very loving children. They will all pile on me while we watch television. I call it the ‘puppy pile.’ It is warm and cozy, except for the elbow in the ribs and the knee in the groin. Yet, there is nothing better.
Happiness is different things to different people at different times. To one person it could be a mansion on the hill. To another individual it is the salad from the vegetables they grew themselves. We can not be happy all the time. However, we can be most of the time. A person just needs to find those things that are truly important and focus on them. Everything else is background noise.
No comments:
Post a Comment
html