"The most revolutionary act one can
commit in our world is to be happy."
-- Hunter Patch Adams
[Classic post from 5-22-11]
Yesterday, I went to an outdoor BBQ event in another city to pay my respects to the people putting it on. It was an absolutely beautiful picture perfect 75 degree California day. There was music playing, tri-tip, hot dogs, chips and drinks along with tables and chairs to take a load off and enjoy the food. It was a free event and most of the people that came were workers. There were raffles with prizes and I even won the first one: a baseball style cap. There were vendors showing off some trucks and I got to see some people I haven't seen in a while. I spent a leisurely hour and a half and had a good time.
As I was eating my food a couple of guys sat down, and I mentioned what a perfect day it was for this event. The first thing out of one guy was, "so much better than the rainy weather yesterday, and I wish it were warmer--it's still kind of chilly for this time of year." And his friend says, "yeah, you'll be happy for a rainy day when it's 105 degrees!" I didn't say anything vocally, but it made me think how humans just love--I mean LOVE to complain about just about everything.
Next time you're out and about, listen to some of the conversations going on around you, or say something very positive and upbeat about something and then listen. It will be interesting and full of complaints I predict.
I was enjoying the beauty of an area and mentioned all the beauty around us and a person with me says, "why is that branch over there cut off like that?" I said, "why in the world, with all this beauty all around, would your eyes go to that way over there to focus on?" They said, "because it's not beautiful, it would be beautiful if that weren't there." I said nothing further.
The more I get into this happier person that I have become and am becoming more of, I see what Patch Adams meant. It truly is a revolutionary act to choose to be happy on purpose. Of course, that is also the key: choosing to be happy rather than having things make us happy. John Mayer says that so well in his song, Waiting On the World To Change. Many people I talk with are doing just that. When the world changes they will be happy. Of course, it never does, so complaints just become a part of our frustrating, disappointing experience.
However, we can change that anytime we like--in a moment it can change. We change it only by changing our thinking about it and making a decision to be happy and to look for the beauty instead of the flaws. That is why I see beauty each and every day now because I have just decided to see beauty where ever it is and the more of it I see, the more of it I see until I see it all the time virtually everywhere I go. It's just a decision, a very simple, yet so monumentally powerful decision.
We All Have So Much More Control and Power Than We Ever Thought Possible.
Spread Some Joy Today--Choose to be happy, just for today. Then, do it again tomorrow. Then again. It's habit forming!
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