The Ease of Happiness

It is easy to be happy.  But I forget.  It is also easy to forget- especially when one is a giant ball of stress.  I am stressing out about basically what others think about me- about research- what I think of myself.  What am I doing with my life?  What is anyone doing with their life?  Argh.

But it was Lola who reminded me of the ease of happiness yesterday- as we were going to Greenstar to get Ice Cream, and we were talking about French croissants and yoga and simple things, that I observed, it is easy to make Lola happy.  And I felt envious- that is a nice character trait to have- I want that character trait too. 

But then I thought about it a bit, and realized that I have forgotten it is easy to make me happy too.  Good food.  Warm tea.  Music you can dance to.  Cozy conversations.  Sleeping in.  Being indoors on a rainy day.  And French croissants. 

But sometimes I try too hard.  Try too hard to be happy.  Try too hard to make friends.  Try too hard to learn how to flirt.  Try too hard to work (and get really frustrated when I get stuck).  And things don't really flow.  I've been reading "Tao-te-ching" and "The Tao of Pooh" lent to me by a dear friend.  And it is reminding me how sometimes you have to let things flow naturally.  Be yourself.  Trust in the universe.  And just let things happen- even if they don't go your way- even if you think they are bad things.  The Taoist principle 無為 (woo-way), which sort of translates as "do nothing", is not really laziness or inaction, I realize slowly to not go against the nature of yourself or of your surroundings...  or in western culture, this is called "The Pooh Way."

So - I will stop letting my stress and mess and myself get in the way of happiness.  Because there is much to be pleased with - it is summer, Ithaca is beautiful, we are young (and can still effortlessly walk, breathe, dance, laugh), and life continues to unfold in expected and unexpected ways.  (AND~ pretty soon I'll be having one of those French croissants!)