Are You Happy?

Recently there has been a flap in the news about a Middle Eastern country giving some young folks legal problems because they were dancing to a song by Pharrell Williams called "Happy."  Have you heard the song?  I have and I like it.

It seems odd to a lot of folks everywhere that someone could get their undies in a knot over folks being happy.  Here in the United States of America we learned in school (and I do hope they still teach) that happiness is part of our heritage.  In the Declaration of Independence you see the phrase "We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Thomas Jefferson was, I believe, the father of the phrase, and I do love the words and the meaning behind them.  This intent was then encoded within the Constitution of the United States.  Of course, like Benjamin Franklin said, "The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness.  You have to catch it yourself."

As Abraham Lincoln said, "Most people are about as happy as they make their minds up to be."  So put on your catcher's mitt and put yourself in place to get all the happiness you can.  But you do have to work on it yourself.  You can't just stand around, saying, "Here I am.  Make me happy."

As one anonymous writer said:  Happiness is a choice. 

I am so glad I live in a country that gives us the ability to make such a choice.  And as for me, I try to grab all the happiness I can.  I don't always succeed, but I do put out the effort on more days than not.  May you find a lot of happiness and joy in your life, each and every day.