On the first tee at a particularly difficult golf course, discussing the course with the starter, he wryly commented to me that “it is easy to play the course with a single ball – so long as you aren’t particular as to whose ball it is.” That is, when I hit into the rough, or beyond that to the trees and find myself looking for my Bridgestone E6 white ball with a “4” stamped on it, I may or may not find THAT ball, but in any event I will find plenty of errant balls to choose from in making my next shot. The rules of golf, however, to the extent I choose to follow them (throat clearing) require me to play my ball, or take a penalty and drop a new ball.
It occurs to me today that happiness is a little like that. I create in my mind the belief that happiness comes, if at all, in a particular shape, form, or fashion that I have imagined, or societal rules and norms have imagined for me. I can get so intent in achieving THAT form of happiness that I can ignore all the other possibilities. I am wanting the weather to be sunny and ignore the peace that a light rain brings. I am looking for a certain song on a playlist and stumble upon another. That is, perhaps it is easy to be happy, so long as I am willing to set aside those expectations and formulas as to what delivers happiness and be open to happiness that might come in other shapes, forms, and sizes.
It occurs to me... 