Happiness Is...

When I was in grade school, (I want to say first or second grade) we had this performance thingy. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. When all the parents come to the gym and sit in metal folding chairs, holing video cameras to capture every goddamn boring moment of the show. In grade school, you did about three of these a year. Anyway, the one I'm referencing here was entitled, "Happiness Is..." It was all about what made us happy. (We were on the cutting edge of education at my school) We even sang this stupid corny song that went something like, "Happiness is two scoops of ice cream, having a birthday, telling the time..." (Imagine a bunch of children, in their screechy voices singing that. It's amazing more elementary school teachers don't commit suicide...) Those were good examples for grade school. Hell, ice cream and birthdays are still pretty awesome nowadays. Telling the time isn't so cool anymore.

Flash-forward about a decade or so. The Timpview High School Drama Department is driving back to Provo after a great weekend at the Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City, Utah. I am sitting next to my good friend, Jacob Ludlow. Somehow we start talking about happiness and we start naming things in the same format as that grade school performance. We would say things like, "Happiness is the smell of puppies." "Happiness is straight superior one's." "Happiness is my dad's spaghetti sauce." It wasn't long until those around us, all of whom were our friends heard us and started throwing in their suggestions. Pretty soon we had the whole bus coming up with ideas of what happiness is. It was one of the most fun bus trips I have ever taken in my life. When we arrive in Provo and got off the bus, we all felt awesome about life.

I don't know why I was thinking about that today. It was one of those thoughts that just appear. And it made me smile. So in honor of those awesome past memories, here is my list of what happiness is. Enjoy.

Happiness is baby quail.
Happiness is babies laughing.
Happiness is BSing a paper and getting an A.
Happiness is a great movie.
Happiness is a book that you fall in love with.
Happiness is that feeling of constantly falling in love.
Happiness is a cup of tea with an old friend.
Happiness is laughing so hard you think you're going to vomit.
Happiness is finding money in your pocket you didn't know was there.
Happiness is waking up early & realizing you don't have to get up yet & going back to sleep.
Happiness is getting your car washed.
Happiness is that feeling when you can finally go to the bathroom after holding it forever.
Happiness is new Moleskin notebooks.
Happiness is delicious irony.
Happiness is finding out someone you respect holds the same views you do.
Happiness is watching your favorite sports team destroy the competition.
Happiness is surprise presents.
Happiness is when you find out someone knows something about you not because you remind them but because they have been listening.
Happiness is inside jokes.
Happiness is when a stranger is the only person to get your random pop culture reference and you two share a moment of humor.
Happiness is freshly baked bread.
Happiness is dutch oven cooking.
Happiness is camping.
Happiness is warm summer nights.
Happiness is cuddling in bed with someone you love.
Happiness is having books read to you.
Happiness is finding your old toys.
Happiness is helping strangers.
Happiness is new shoes.
Happiness is family parties.
Happiness is that one friend who knows you better than anyone else.
Happiness is that one person who you know will always be on your side.
Happiness is hearing your phone ring with a specific tone you've set for your crush.
Happiness is winking at a stranger.
Happiness is road trips.
Happiness is Cedar City, Utah.
Happiness is dogs who are always excited to see you.
Happiness is warm towels.
Happiness is new episodes of your favorite show.
Happiness is opening night of an anticipated movie.
Happiness is goofy friends.
Happiness is having the kind of friends with whom you just pick up where you left off no matter how much time has passed.
Happiness is that person who has changed your life.
Happiness is that stranger you look forward to seeing every day.
Happiness is little curiosities.
Happiness is surprise cards in the mail from your mom that make you laugh.
Happiness is getting mail that's not bills or advertisements.
Happiness is toy stores.
Happiness is reading outside.
Happiness is getting that perfect picture.
Happiness is camping.
Happiness is hearing stories about your grandparents' lives.
Happiness is knowing there are people out there who care.

What is happiness to you?

Love you.
Mean it.