Happiness

Yesterday I read something that seems, in retrospect, so simple I can't believe it has never occurred to me before. A "not able to see the forest for the trees" kind of thing.  Happiness, it seems, is achieved in bits and pieces, seized by those alert to its availability as it flits by, invisible to the less observant.

A cluttered shelf that has bothered me for weeks, cleaned and put to rights is a moment of happiness.  A refrigerator spilling over with outdated sauces and furry leftovers, purged and polished, is another moment of happiness.  A warm chocolate chip cookie, savored with an ice-cold glass of milk and a five-minute break from a hectic day is yet another happy moment.  Well, you get the idea.  I know as soon as I read this concept that it could change my life if I put conscience effort into recognizing and enjoying the simple pleasures that inundate my life. 

So the guy in the black Audi who cut me off in traffic may be a jerk, or he may be just a guy having a very stressful day.  And now he's added stress to my day.  But I avoided hitting him so that's good, and the cup of coffee in my car's console is steaming and tastes great.  So I take a big swig and really taste it.  And smell it.  And realize how enjoyable that moment in time is.  Meanwhile the jerk is gone, careening through traffic far ahead.  And I've still got half a cup of coffee left to enjoy and twenty minutes of solitude before I reach my destination - the business supply superstore filled with other harried people, unaware of anything except the long list of obligations filling their day.  Another sip of coffee, another enjoyable sensation, another spurt of energy as the dark, hot liquid does its job.

I mull over this epiphany and watch for more joy along my path.  I see the flashing lights at the side of the road, ahead, in the distance.  Like all the traffic, I merge into the left lane to allow plenty of room, thankful the lights aren't lingering behind my car.  As I pass the trooper and the black Audi stopped in front of him, I realize yet another moment of happiness.