The Pursuit of Happiness

Many years ago, I told Penny, “happiness is overrated.” What I meant to say, and what I never explained, is that what we think of as happiness actually isn’t. Pleasure and moods, things that make us feel good for a minute or two, don’t last. We very quickly get to the bottom of the ice cream cone or the last day of our trip. If our happiness depends on these external events, we soon realize we want more. Most of us have come to learn that our happiness derives from the ups and downs of love and work, our willingness to face and overcome daily challenges. Does anybody have an easy life? I doubt it. One day you’ve got it made, the next you’re in a ditch with the crows overhead. All you can do is laugh at the crows or cry.

Meanwhile, as the anvils fly, we pick up hobbies to pursue. The pursuit of happiness, written right there in the Declaration of Independence, is a big fat clue for us to follow. We’re not actually guaranteed happiness, but we can damn well pursue it. The pursuit is on my mind a lot these past couple of weeks, as I spent a significant amount of time behind the camera and in the backyard practicing live fire cooking. Pecan and cherry sure smell good in that mesmerizing flame.

Happiness comes unexpectedly, when you do something you don’t want to do, like drive across town in rush hour traffic, or take on a project when you’d rather be doing something else. When we think we know exactly what’s what, and it turns out we don’t, that realization is a moment of happiness.

Other times, happiness comes just by the mere act of showing up, like at last week’s Leica Gallery opening for Anthony Friedkin’s The Gay Essay and Sean Black’s Character. The photos and stories were moving, and so were the people who attended. The evening was a reminder that our pursuit of happiness requires courage in the face of threats and opposition. We rise to the occasion, not always as quickly as we wish we had, and most of the time only after somebody else leads the way. My wish for you is that you pursue happiness in your life, and that you gather courage and strength as you go.