Measurement

 “The measure of success is happiness and peace of mind.”
— Bobby Davro

Credit: Durban Hagen Facebook posting

The Bullhorn of Happiness

It occurred to me this morning that for the past year and a half we've been getting blatant, in-your-face messages. Messages that are telling us to slow down, enjoy your life as it is in this very moment, stop chasing false success in the form of stuff, look inward, and appreciate the present. 

That message has come in the form of everything from COVID lockdowns to Facebook crashes. Yesterday without Facebook did seem weird, yes. But it was much like turning off a squawky television and enjoying the peace and quiet. 

And yet despite all the bullhorns showing us the way to deeper happinesses, we go right back to "the way things were" or exhaust ourselves chasing it. Sometimes I think we'll never, ever learn.

Don't Be Duped

It's a heavy revelation when you realize you’ve been duped into living someone else’s goals or plans. Realizing you’ve been tricked into thinking that their life is your life is a real eye-opener. Some people never figure it out and live their entire lives fulfilled only to the point that the other person manipulates them into believing is a full life. How terrible.

Absurdity & Sadness

I just saw one of those clickbait article links in the side panel on Facebook a few minutes ago. The headline was, "Inside Liza Minnelli's abandoned $26 million dollar mansion."

The first thought that flashed in my head was the absurdity of a twenty six million dollar home.

The second was a weird sadness knowing that all that luxury didn't buy her any more happiness.

The Bankruptcy of Ego

I've come to realize there are those out there whose ego will bankrupt them. I'm not talking about just financial bankruptcy, either. It also includes emotional and spiritual bankruptcy. Case in point: A friend just extended the lease on his car for another six months until February 2022. In the meantime he'll be shopping for another car. No problem you say? Well, he told me yesterday that if he finds one he likes, he'll just have to make double payments for a few months. Whaaaaaat?! And it can't be a nice used car either, mind you. It has to be a new car. So in order to feed his ego he's going to be making lease payments on one car while making another set of payments on another car he simply has to have. 

I honestly feel sorry for people like this. Their ego is holding them hostage and they can't even see it. I'm two things primarily: a minimalist and a "slow and steady wins the race" person. I don't want what I don't have. My furniture isn't from a high-end store. My clothes are mostly from Target, I shop for groceries at a small locally-owned grocery at the end of my block (they have TONS of incredible fruit and produce, some things I've never seen before!) and the prices are very cheap. I also believe in a steady pace through life. I quietly and methodically let my savings grow. I put a certain amount in savings each Sunday, and any time I get a raise, a portion of the difference in pay either goes to my retirement fund or my savings account. Slowly and steadily I'm planning for my retirement. I don't live a flashy lifestyle, nor would I want to. I am so content being in my home on a Saturday night with my Frenchie Rufus, a nice drink, a good book, good food, and good music. Simple pleasures. 

So when I see people trying so hard to jump through the hoops their egos have constructed for them I back away. It's like coming upon a skyscraper on fire. I simply turn down a different street and avoid all that chaos and drama lest I become a part of the situation. Life is much better and simpler that way.