Happiness is relative, isn’t it? This past week I thought I was unhappy several times due to many troublesome and inconvenient things that happened. First, there was an ice storm which locked me in my house worrying if the power lines would go down and I’d have no heat. When the ice began to melt, I had a pipe break and flood my garage where I had some antique furniture stored. Then Bill, my 85 pound golden lab mix, had his tail tucked between his legs in some kind of back or hip pain and my regular vet was on vacation. Gabe, the new cocker spaniel puppy, has a bladder infection which is slowing down his housebreaking. When I went to pick up his medication, the pharmacy made an error causing me to make a return trip to pick it up. Scooter and Sasha, the other cockers, are jealous of the new puppy and think I’m crazy to bring home a tiny bundle that has a goal in life of putting his mouth on everything and crying loudly if he can’t get his way! The battery on my pickup was dead. There’s more, but I don’t want to bore you. You get the point.

So, what’s the message here? These events are all part of life and should not have made me unhappy. Tired? Yes. Irritated? Yes. But in the bigger scheme of things, they’re a blip on the scale. Everyone lived and the next week is on the horizon.

See side bar for information on Sharon's wonderful books for elementary-age children. There is a discounted price on the 5-book series that even includes a darling Nicholas puppet. See "The Nicholas Collection" at www.hrdpress.com/SharonScott .

Several years ago I visited Bali and found the people so very gentle, friendly, and soft-spoken. I wondered why they all seemed that way. These people seem far removed from the violence and materialism of our world. Is this the reason for their gentle nature? The only other place I’ve been that I felt such harmony was the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania where the animals are so satisfied with their basic needs being met (food, water, shelter) that none of them migrate. They are born, live, and die in this crater. The Balinese people seem happy in similar ways—basic needs met plus family and friends.

One afternoon I stopped at a tiny shop that sold exquisitely carved and painted wooden ducks. The owner, who did not speak English, was charging so little for his beautiful work. His little daughter walked into the shop from the back room where her mother and grandmother were painting the ducks. The child was a big-eyed, dark haired beauty of about three years. She saw me and proceeded to walk straight toward me and put out her hand. I assumed she wanted to shake my hand and offered it to her. She then took my hand in her tiny one and moved it to her lips and softly kissed it.

Tears came to my eyes during this exchange. Here was a child that did not notice age or racial difference. She was not bothered by the language or religious difference. All she saw at that moment was another human being whom she accepted and wanted to share some happiness.

It can be difficult to put things into perspective, but so important to try so that we realize what real happiness is all about.

Copyright ©2007, Sharon Scott. No reproduction without written permission from author.

P.S. Please see my other column, “The Counselor’s Corner,” on peer pressure.

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