I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite

"...and they lived after the manner of happiness"

The other day I was scrolling through this here blog as I often do to make myself feel betta. And I felt happy imagining all those things in my life, and also realizing that some of those things are in my life already.

That got me thinking s'more (mm s'mores), mostly about happiness and why is the world so gloomy anyway? 

Like, f'realz. The world is uh-mazing. Sure, it's full of yuckcentral stuff that makes me cry when I read about it in the news, but I came up with a solution--stop reading the news! Bam! 

"Men are that they might have joy." It doesn't say "men will be that they might have joy..." Nope, that was written in the present tense because yo, it means we're supposed to be happy right now.

I know about sadness and suffering and depression and all that. I know it's hard to see the sun through the clouds on some days, and those days feel infinitely longer than others. But I know it's possible to find even a small sliver of happiness in there. It will get you through.

So the next time you feel a warm fuzzy coming on, don't push it away because you're upset or sad about something else in your life. Let yourself be happy for just a few seconds, and just watch what happens. 

The corners of your mouth will start to turn up and soon people around you will be smiling too because you'll be smiling and then maybe there won't be as many sad news stories because you made the world just a little bit happier.

Yo, I know this post is sounding reallllly optimistic and sometimes people want real-ness. Well I'm here to argue that happiness is just as real as sadness and sorrow. They go togetha. 

I came across this quote last week and it made me think:

I actually attack the concept of happiness. The idea that - I don’t mind people being happy - but the idea that everything we do is part of the pursuit of happiness seems to me a really dangerous idea and has led to a contemporary disease in Western society, which is fear of sadness. It’s a really odd thing that we’re now seeing people saying “write down 3 things that made you happy today before you go to sleep”, and “cheer up” and “happiness is our birthright” and so on. We’re kind of teaching our kids that happiness is the default position - it’s rubbish. Wholeness is what we ought to be striving for and part of that is sadness, disappointment, frustration, failure; all of those things which make us who we are. Happiness and victory and fulfillment are nice little things that also happen to us, but they don’t teach us much. Everyone says we grow through pain and then as soon as they experience pain they say “Quick! Move on! Cheer up!” I’d like just for a year to have a moratorium on the word “happiness” and to replace it with the word “wholeness”. Ask yourself “is this contributing to my wholeness?” and if you’re having a bad day, it is.

– Hugh Mackay

I agree with most of what this guy is saying....I wouldn't say I "attack" the idea of happiness, but I do think we often push away real emotions because of the world we live in. If it doesn't look good on facebook or instagram, we don't want people to see it. 

I guess the main point is, take time to feel things. Don't let anyone take away your right to feel, or make you feel dumb for feeling anything. Pain is something you carry with you, and happiness is too. They go together in that metaphorical suitcase we carry around, so wear 'em proud. 

Sadness is important and you should feel it; but be careful not to let yourself drown in it. Happiness is important too and you should let yourself feel it. Don't push it away like I sometimes do. 

And that concludes today's ruminating blerg post.

Oh p.s. go watch this if you're feeling sad. I promise you will be happy after you watch it. KTHXBYE.