In a world that seems to be filled with so much hatred and animosity, it may seem strange to talk about happiness. But connecting with the simple goodness in life restores me and reminds me of what I value.
Now, more than ever, I cherish each moment of happiness that comes my way – like the joy of spending time with my young granddaughters, who laugh with abandon and love without questioning; like savoring the simple joys of summer in Vermont, with mountains of emerald and splashes of wildflowers along roadsides and mountain paths. It’s July in Vermont, summer is in full bloom, shining on us, warming us, smiling.
We all cherish happiness, and with good reason according to researchers who study these kinds of things. Being happy, they've found, is not just personal. Happiness is a better indicator of a nation's well-being than income, education, health or GDP.
According to the World Happiness Report, just updated for 2016, people who live in the happiest countries have a longer life expectancy. They experience more generosity in their lives, have stronger social networks and a higher level of equality of happiness.
Bhutan, a tiny country with a big heart, is famous for measuring the "Gross National Happiness" of its people. Five years ago, its Prime Minister sparked an international focus on happiness by proposing an annual World Happiness Day. The United Nations agreed and established March 20 as the International Day of Happiness. All UN member states adopted a resolution affirming the importance of happiness and asserting that 'progress' should be more about increasing human well-being than just growing the economy.
But though researchers may have succeeded in quantifying the importance of happiness, I think to capture the full meaning of happiness, it must be experienced. Here in Vermont we don't have a state office for happiness but we do have back doors that open onto vistas of beauty; nature and happiness intertwining fingers.
Van Gogh, despite his personal pain, was able to share this feeling when he painted brilliant fields of sunflowers in summer light, and Wordsworth wrote of happiness, imagining himself floating above a host of daffodils. I too am often filled with happiness on a summer day - rich with brightly colored wildflowers, sweet with summer berries, and fragrant as honeysuckle.
It's about life catching my imagination and lifting my chin. It's about looking at the enormous full moon at the summer solstice, and though knowing the face in the moon was etched by craters, smiling back anyway.
