Do What Makes You Happy

Photo by Matthew Hamilton on Unsplash
I’m sitting here on my couch with Miles curled up in a ball next to me lying on Richard’s clothes. How beautiful. I sit in my apartment and I am happy with everything I have done thus far and where I am at with my career and life in general. I listen to the clock tick, the air purifier hiss, and the furnace huff. Somehow these sounds make my apartment seem even more relaxing. A great peace and quiet shelter. Hmm.. maybe I could try writing poetry. The sky is the limit; you do know…
Today, I sat in the Target cafe and watched the people come and go for a good hour. I know! How fun! haha. It really was great though. First, I watched a mother question her daughter with good life questions. She asked, “Are you going to not do something now and regret it later? You’ll spend your whole life knowing you could have done it.” I have no idea what they were discussing really, but it made me think. It seemed like after I heard that question, I watched everyone even more.
Another mother sat with her two children and bought them each a small slushie and ordered some breadsticks from the Pizza Hut there at Target. There were only three breadsticks. She gave her two daughters each one of them and then sat the other down. The one daughter said, “Is that other breadstick for us to share? Can we share it mom?” The mother said, “yes”. Then the daughter replied, “I thought so.” Here we have a mother that didn’t get a drink of her own nor did she eat the third breadstick. She gave everything she bought to her two daughters and sat there quietly and watched them both so happily eat their breadsticks and slurp their Slurpees. It was like this was what brought her extreme happiness was seeing her two children eat.
Across from the Target, cafe was an in-store Starbucks. I watched so many people line up for coffee. The barista was so friendly and patient as the line crept up to 10 or more people. She was so happy helping them. At about the 8th person in line was an old man wearing a feathered hat who used a walker. He was eager to get that cup of coffee that brought him some happiness. He patiently waited and walked an inch every chance he could. ha. He really wanted that coffee!
Then, after Target I went to a thrift shop. There were quite some clothes at this place! Designer names for $5 in a sea of clothes. One woman tried on a designer jacket and she absolutely loved it. I could tell that she didn’t have much money and buying clothes wasn’t something she did very often for herself. She just loved that jacket! All I could think was how great that she can now have it for less than $10 because someone decided they wanted to pass the treasure along to others. Maybe the original owner was just cleaning meaningless items from her closet, but it sure meant the world to that woman at the thrift store.
Now that I have written about these memorable sights today, I notice something. Each of these people did what made them feel happy. That is truly a very valuable observation. It’s not about the money you spend or what you do, it’s whether or not it makes you happy. Is it seeing that someone you love not make what could be a mistake by simply speaking up? Is it watching your kids eat happily? Is it helping others with a tasty treat? Or slowly inching your way to get your cup of joy? Maybe it’s giving your designer clothes to a thrift store or buying a trendy jacket for yourself. Whatever it may be that makes you happy. Please, do it.
So, I sit here and write tonight. Writing makes me happy. I rarely do it anymore, but when I do I absolutely love it. Maybe you have something that you know makes you happy but you haven’t done it in a while. Do it.
Do whatever makes you happy.
(Originally written on: 12/31/2014) version of this post can be found here:

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