02.10.11

On the pursuit of Happyness

The past two weeks has been excellent.

I have found my happiness again.

It has been lost for some time.

I guess the clear desert air and miles in the legs can help do that to you.

That and the company of people that are positive influences in your life.

I rode hard in southern Utah over the 4 day weekend in the sun.  Perhaps not as far or as hard as some.  But enough.  Enough to feel good.  Enough to suffer some.  Enough to flow the downhill singletrack and feel connected with the desert again.

A stay with a friend and a sharing of home-brewed beer.

A long ride overgeared with the group.

Unexpected guests one night, a pleasant surprise.

A nice ride solo with a new friend.

A fun ride with the girls, that reminded me to turn off the “training” mentality and have fun – stop, turn around, do it again until you make it – stop, turn around, ride down it for a picture.  These things I haven’t done in, well, some time.

A cool, neh, cold solo ride before home and a subtle reminder to keep it under control alone.

All in all, an excellent trip.

Straight into spending some extended quality time with a friend.

Family coming to visit and having a great time, despite inclement weather.  Smiles all around with the wind howling in your face.

An invite out of the blue from a good friend to share in a special evening for his family as his cousin performs with an outstanding jazz orchestra.

And more time spent with someone I really like.

I was reminded recently of a film I really liked, “The Pursuit of Happyness”

That is the climax of the movie, when everything he has been working so very hard for works out in the end.

But what I really like in the movie, it that he is very in tune with the idea of the pursuit part:

Christopher Gardner:

It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that?

Truth is, I have been unhappy for a while.  Perhaps unable or unwilling to admit it.  But unhappy.

These two weeks have reopened my eyes.

Happiness is about a choice.  To be in the moment, to be content with what it brings.  And to continue to pursue it.

Outside of Chris’ situation in the film/book/real life, the stuff isn’t going to make you happy.

Your outlook is.

And my outlook has shifted.

But I would also like to point out one more thing…

When you surround yourself with others, others who are good to you, good for you and are happy.  There is definitely some symbiosis.  The happiness is shared.  There is some element of connectedness that makes it better for all who are involved.

So choose to be happy, to embrace it and to pursue it.  And choose you company wisely, for they can make it all better.

-g

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