It’s tough right now, but the sun will come (…at some point it will)
As much as happiness seems to be on short supply in the world right now, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the countless gloomy and morbid commentaries on how we should be living during this time, the truth is we still need to trudge along- even if slowly and without that spring in our step. This period has been a stressful time for all of us, and it’s been hard to see the silver on the cloud linings, but we need to make an effort to see the sun’s rays. One of the things that have emerged for me during this time is that happiness is not something that falls on my lap, it is a way of life that I cultivate.
Ask me to define happiness and I will give you one word- BLISS. It is when I feel like I am swimming in the sea of providence, even when the circumstances are not exactly sunny; when even though I don’t have everything I want, I am excited about the good things I know will happen to me; when I have put my best efforts into the things I am doing, when my head and heart are aligned on the decisions I make etc. And yes, I know happiness is a relative term- depending on who you ask, but there is a common thread of ‘delight’ that you will notice in the responses you get from people.
I believe in ‘Multum in Parvo’ which means there is much in little, that big things come from small things. For me, happiness comes from life’s simple pleasures, activities that are blissful and provide a foundation for my wellbeing even when life goes awry- because it is inevitable that it will- I mean, who saw COVID-19 coming? Makes me ask, what’s one to do when the going gets tough? You keep living, even if it feels like a chore every day. You make attempts to indulge in life’s simple pleasures- even if that pleasure is getting out of bed, or changing that same tracksuit you’ve been wearing for weeks. It could be a spritz of perfume to lift your senses when you are in a funk, it could be a full on face beat when you are still living within your four walls, it could be having peanut butter and jam sandwich for dinner, or bingeing ‘again’ on Netflix. It is any activity that can make you happy and make your life go a bit easier right now.
I have been playing a song for a while now, it’s one of my favourite Beatles song, the one that Nina Simone and Colbie Caillat also re-recorded- “Here comes the sun” (lyrics below). If you haven’t listened to this at all, indulge yourself and add it to your playlist this weekend. Let it serve as a reminder that although the cloud still hangs now, and it might take a while for things to be normal (if we ever go back to the old way of normal), the sun will come again, and the smile will return to our faces. Hang in there and keep your head up. XOXO
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun
And I say, it’s all right
Little darling
It’s been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling
It seems like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun
And I say, it’s all right
Little darling
The smiles returning to the faces
Little darling
It seems like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun
And I say, it’s all right
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Little darling
I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling
It feels like years since it’s been clear
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun
And I say, it’s all right
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun
And I say, it’s all right
It’s all right.
Photo credit: Header image (jplenio on Pixabay) and (MabelAmber on Pixabay) for in-text image