Attack the concept of happiness

This quote, really long and wordy quote, showed up in my Pinterest feed this morning.  First of all, I’m impressed that I actually read it because it is long and wordy.  And I tend to skip over those that look like they are too much work.  I’m much better at the short and sweet jokes and quotes.  But that first line, “I actually attack the concept of happiness”, jumped out at me and sucked me in.  I kept reading and I was hooked.

Okay - so this is the point where I give all of you the opportunity to go back and actually READ the entire graphic. Because I know that some of you skimmed it like I did.  This time go back and read.  I have read and reread it trying to figure out how I feel about the message.  Do I agree with what it says?  Do I understand what it says?  What am I having for lunch?  (Sometimes I have a really short attention span.)  Isn’t happiness supposed to be the goal?  

With all the attention the latest TV series, “13 Reasons Why” is getting, happiness is on the forefront of a lot of people’s thoughts these days.  If you live under a rock and haven’t heard of it, “13 Reasons Why” is a book and a TV series about a girl who sends a box of the 13 reasons why she committed suicide to a friend.  It has stirred up a lot of controversy as it is popular amongst teens, an age group already susceptible to suicide and making poor, rash, irreversible decisions.  Some people believe that it is opening up conversations that are necessary between parents and their teens.  Others feel it is putting ideas into teens heads and glorifying suicide.  I have to admit that I have purchased the book and put the TV series in my Netflix list, but haven’t viewed either yet.  But I do feel it ties into this quote.

This quote really got me thinking about how much we stress that happiness is what we should all be striving for each day.  I’ve said and thought the same thing for some time.  But the line that really stood out to me was the part about sadness, disappointment, frustration and failure all being normal parts of daily life and actually, being the part that helps us grow the most.  There is so much truth to that, it nearly stops a person in their tracks.  

I preach to my students all the time that failure is okay, it’s not a big deal to fail at something or struggle with something.  But as soon as things get tough for me I start trying to figure out how to make it better and how to “fix it”.  I need to practice what I preach.  Embrace the tough times for the lessons they teach me and accept the bad times instead of trying to race through to the other side.  That’s where the learning happens and where the wholeness of being real comes from.  

I tend to feel guilty if I’m having a “bad” day.  If I think about the things in my life that aren’t going the way I want, or if I get a flash of anger, a feeling of frustration.  But isn’t it those moments where we learn what we need to work on in our lives.  Isn’t it normal to get a little angry, get a little sad, get a little frustrated.  We shouldn’t feel that guilt.  Feeling things, really feeling all of the emotions, that is wholeness.  That is being human.  And haven’t we all learned that the “bad” days make the good ones all the more sweet?

I guess that one little quote box was kind of a wake up call for me this morning and one I felt worth sharing.  Something to think about anyway.