I know that being older holds way more happiness than I thought possible when I was a kid. Both the giddy kind and a deeper layer that isn’t as fragile or fleeting as the happiness I experienced when I was younger.
—-Lisa Cron
Hurray for both kinds. Do you agree?
April 21, 2021
I think my whole life I’ve been happy
Guess I’ m one of the privileged ones.
And that previous post about “blue” additives on detergent is an “eye opener”.
Yes, you have been truly blessed. 🙂
I must be a little like Hootin Anni above.
I’ve always just seemed to have the happiness habit.
and now old age comes with many of its own challenges!
I’m finding out that it’s a good habit to have! XO
Yes, patience and perseverance! Good luck with your healing.
Yes! All the same, I’m relishing the deep contentment that supercedes any thrills I experienced in my younger years. I’ve finally stopped grasping for that golden ring.
Taking delight in little things is the way to go, I think.
I do indeed!
🙂
I have been cursed with perpetual happiness most of the time throughout my life but there is a uniqueness to the feeling in these, my older years.
Why a curse?
Yes, I do agree.
🙂
Our level of happiness, sadly, sometimes depends on other people’s happiness. I just learned that an elderly friend of mine tried to commit suicide. Apparently he isn’t handling the early signs of dementia very well. On the surface he always presented himself as perpetual happy and now it’s clear that pride (and fear of the unknown) was keeping him from getting the help he needs. I feel so badly for his kids who have a hard row to hoe right now. Been there, done that with my dad and I had to keep a gratitude journral to hold on to the happier moments of my days during that dark time. Sorry, I should probably have kept this to myself, but I felt the need to say that sometimes letting our sadness show helps.
Of course. We’re not talking about putting on a false front. We’re talking about something a lot deeper. One of my favorite book titles is Wayne Muller’s Legacy of the Heart: The Spiritual Advantages of a Painful Childhood.
PS I figure Andy’s and my main job now is to be as healthy and happy as we can so Kaitlin doesn’t have to worry about us.
I was an uhappy child and also unhappy adult, now I am old and not unhappy. I find I am more content in my old age that I was when younger..
I was depressed for a while when I was a kid, that’s why I got curious about happiness and how to do it. Depression sucks.
PS I am not happy to be old though, I prefer to be 40, butt I am not unhappy to be old either… butt if i could change it i would
I wouldn’t go back even though Andy and I have “one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.” I’m now focusing on making the most of the time we have left.
I do like old age in that I could care less about what most people think…but I was that way most if my life. I dont talk much about the real issues growing up…no one woukd believe me if I did. Heck. I even had nephews tell me they did not believe stuff they heard their moms tell, till they heard us all tell the same type of stories. And issues is not the right word, just using it for convenience.
I cared about what other people thought when I was younger but I decided I wouldn’t let it keep me from going on the path that was right for me. (My childhood culture disparaged people with their “nose in a book”. Too funny.) Now I don’t interact with people much except via the internet, which means we can write what we want and connect only with people who want to read it.
Well, most people would describe me as happy over the years.
But I wasn’t happy growing up even before my mom died.
Very long story. Anyway, I was happy through the 80’s decade and I didn’t realize just how happy I was. Then everything spiraled and the years just weren’t that happy for me. Last year at this time, I was facing surgery, very depressed and not just because of the cancer. I was sure I wouldn’t survive it. And now, after chemo and so much pain and struggle. I’m happy!
Go figure! Ha!
I hope it lasts. You deserve it!