there are a few things i have come to learn about happiness over the last year. one, formost being it is unchartable. it varies from individual to individual, like most emotions and outcomes. it is often a reaction to something bigger, something greater, or commonly a form of contentment, based on our own personal mantras, past events, narratives, and/or subconscious whereabouts. for this matter, we are capable of having these moments in life where everything seems to stand still for just a glimpse of a second, and it all sets it and makes sense. i think natalie portman in garden state said it best with, "i'm looking at you right now and you're definitely in it." to her co-star zach braff when they both settle next to each other in the bathtub in his old house as he discusses his ultimate regret with his late mother. obviously, emotion is a major trigger to these kinds of moments. so, now i arise the question: is happiness more of a verb or a noun?
i suppose the key to keeping these moments in a close range is to recognize these come in exactly what i defined above: short bursts of real, raw feeling. these don't last hours, or days. as someone once said, "we remember the minutes of the hours, and not the days of the years." and much as we would love to hold onto those 'perfect days' and put them in our pocket for a-not-so-sunny-day, it is impossible. there are 1440 minutes in a day, and if each one was held at the same importance as the others, these moments would lose the exact reason why they were so special. they are compressed, unexpected, and blessed. perhaps for this reason, the best things in life come to us in these brief, yet extremely self-revealing moments. we learn in these moments what exactly makes us tick, makes us feel actually alive as individuals. depending on the context of the situation and setting at the time, we may also begin to see being alone is okay. we are born into this world naked, alone, and beginning the embarkment of an adventure we would ultimately experience only through our own skin and own opinions. there is nothing unnatural, or scary, about it. if you let it, it can be the most soothing and healing outlet you can supply yourself with.
on this note, you must realize while people are wonderful and love is grand, the only thing you have in life is yourself, so take care of yourself. since you're an individual, start looking for these little things in life that supply you with more merriment and contentment than the obvious, materialistic supplements, such as the daily latté to help you get through another boring day of work meetings, the devil's food double-chocolate cake you immediately turned to after a tiff with your boyfriend, or even the christian louboutin french heels you've always desired more than anything after you saw that rerun of "sex and the city" on tbs one late thursday night and SJP was just strutting the hell out of them. you do not nesscarily have to close off what generally makes you happy though, if espresso or couture does it for you, embrace it. but also expand and unfold the old, traditional meaning of happiness as well. begin looking closer at smaller details of common day-to-day events or people. once you open your mind and begin to let more come to the surface, you will come to realize, it gets much more easier with time and more rewarding.
above, i submitted a still from the very end of one of my favourite films, lost in translation. that film, for me, embraces the idea of "moments" in a dry, quirky yet refined 104 minute presentation. it all really is a journey, and even though it is commonly misunderstood, the journey is a thousand times more important than the destination.perhaps enclosing yourself around people who have a similiar mindset and are aware of not just their, but your feelings as well, and sharing a few glasses of white wine alongside with greasy chinese take-out, you can begin to see more beauty in everyday life than you have been able to before. perhaps by finding a common factor between happiness and contentment, you will be able to heighten your intake of it all. so, on nights when everything has slowed, take yourself out into the dark night and walk the streets around you without the hope of unexpectedly running into a family of deer. walk slower, breathe deeply, and just listen. life is going on in and all around you, making us all that much more connected.
