the importance of happiness

there is the happiness when you eat a fresh peach
off a tree

this is imitated by ice cream

and sweet is sweet and the sweetness of life
is something we want

it's good for us

sweet lives don't go to war

and then
there is the happiness
of being present
when everyone around you is all caught
up in worry or hurry
or concern for outside approval
and you're just  sitting there,
watching a bird,
or the clouds,
or taking a walk in the woods or the neighborhood

that's a more sure fire happiness
than the peach,
because peaches only come at a certain time of year

and even though ice cream can be purchased any minute
practically
of any day
happiness that involves driving somewhere and
purchasing something
seems slightly precarious

so, peach
or walk
or ice cream

how about thinking about
and experiencing the feelings that go along
with imagining

thinking about what makes us happy

and then coming back to the present
and just
BEING
and don't even "try" to be happy

just BE
and see what happens from that

and
then
and
then
there is the happiness of puttering in a garden,
seeing some work come along

and the happiness of setting out to do a job
and doing it
the happiness of acting in the world

and often action goes unconscious
but it doesn't have to
and a long string of ideas could make the case
for practicing action in the world
with the kind of movement lessons I speak of in my other
blog,
the Life Potency/ Happiness/ Awakened movement blog

but
you try it is you want:
be present
and move slowly your ribs to the right
and your head to the left
and your eyes to the right
and go a lot slower
and smile
and follow your breathing
and come back to the center
and do the three way turn again,
and just enjoy yourself
and see if this gets you ready
for aware action in the world
today

and just being
curious
that's a kind of happiness, too
isn't it

good