The Pursuit of Happiness

"It was at that time that I thought about Thomas Jefferson writing that Declaration of Independence. Him saying that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I thought about how he knew to put the 'pursuit' in there, like no one can actually have happiness. We can only pursue it." ~ Christopher Gardner (The Pursuit of Happyness 2006)

I find it a bit alarming how unhappy the general population of people are these days. They are unhappy with themselves, with their life, with their children, with their jobs, with their cars. Everything has to be bigger, better stronger, but nothing is ever good enough. Or at least, not for any length of time. Why is it that we have become so overly anxious with never simply being happy in the now?


I know people who are people who should be proud of themselves, they have face adversity (or do everyday), they have accomplished numerous things, but when you talk to them, they are just angry. Why are you angry? What on this whole wide world could possible have you so update and so spiteful? I understand that you may not be in the place you had thought of when you were 15, but who is? I hardly imagined I'd be a mother (or step-mother) to three boys and a black lab. Why are you so angry? You have food in your stomach, a good life, and you're surrounded by people who love you. Take solace in the fact that you are loved and you love others, that is, in fact, enough. 


Depression falls in the same line with this -- why are you so damn sad? Is there absolutely nothing in this life that makes you feel as if it is going right? I see so much potential for happiness, but you only see the dark grey that the world has to offer. Just like above, you have food in your stomach, you have a roof over your head, and you have your health. So you don't have your dream job? Okay.... so? Least you have a job. You don't have the car you want. Um... so? You're still able to get where you need to go. Just because things aren't bright and shiny doesn't mean you have to be Eeyore about it! "Oh bother.... my tail fell off again." Come on! The sun is warm, the grass is green, and dammit you're alive to enjoy it!


Now... it is fine to feel unhappy or unfulfilled in life, to feel sad because something sad happened! I'm not saying that it's not okay to feel these things, feelings are feelings and NO ONE has permission to take your feelings from you. What I'm saying is that if you feel these things 24/7/365.... there's something wrong. I don't know if it's your attitude, I don't know if you're life is really that crazy.... but something is off keel. 


My life is complicated. I am a mother (or step-mother) of three boys, ages 5, 3, 2... I have a husband, my aunt lives with us, and I work full time. My life is full of ups, downs, upside-downs, inside outs, dirty clothes, dirty mouths, and .... dirty underwear. I have a high-stress job in a high-stress environment. Did I fail to mention I have a high-stress personality? But let me tell you something... I am not unhappy nor sad. Why? Because of all the same things I already listed, don't you get it?! Because I am a mother of 3 boys with a husband and an aunt who lives in the home. I am happy because I'm surrounded by love and life. I am surrounded by life. Who could possibly unhappy or sad? Granted.. times get rough and a point comes where you're exhausted and want to scream! (...3 boys... under 10... you'd scream too.) But if anyone were to take that away from me, I would fight tooth and nail for it... because I love my life.


What about you? Would you fight tooth and nail for those things that you're angry/sad about? Really, for just a second stop and look at your life. Was it where you wanted to be? Hell no! We all wanted to be rock stars rubbing elbows with Brad & Angelina! Do you see the difference? I am not even the same person I was when I was 15! Let's see.... Fifteen years old... I was so self-involved with my parents divorce and my mom's issues that I wasn't concentrating on school or anything else. I wanted to be a Vet... granted, I still love animals... but I could seriously not deal with someone's dog trying to bite me. Point is... life is life. You don't have to love it... but for all that's good and happy.. don't hate it. You're alive... you have all the opportunities in the world to change the boat you're in if you don't like it. Jump off and swim! Chase whatever makes you happy... if you don't... you have no one to blame for that choice than yourself.