Another Day in the Country
A happy camper
© Another Day in the Country
“OK, Quinn. Just as you imagined, I’m sitting down with my cup of coffee, in front of the computer, ready to write my column for the Marion County Record but this time anticipating that my cup of Korean brew will still be hot, when I’ve finished!”
Such an exciting possibility!
When you live in a very small town in the country, you learn to notice small things and get excited about them — like frost on the trees in the middle of the night; footprints in the snow, telling you the story of whoever crosses regularly past your porch as well as mysterious things appearing in your mailbox.
With snow on the ground — even over my front walk — I tend to stay put, so I have more time to contemplate.
I’ve been thinking about happiness because someone asked me the other day, “When was the happiest time of your life?”
I blurted out, “What about now?”
After the question, I reviewed different stages of my life to make sure I’d given the correct answer. (I hope that my asking that question in print provoked you to ask yourself the same question.)
Yes, it is now, but I’ve always considered myself a happy person — not that I am happy all the time, but overall, life is good.
I remember lots of scary times when I was a kid — starting first grade in a new town, for instance — and humiliating times, boring times — still in first grade — and the thrill of learning to march to the rhythm of music for the first time in my life.
In my parents’ religion, you could march but not dance.
In high school, which was actually a Christian boarding academy in Colorado, I didn’t really know a soul and was almost paralyzed by shyness, riddled with anxiety, lonely, too tall, too skinny.
I remember being lucky enough to get Janet Wing as my roommate. We became friends for life and had a lot of happy times together.
Getting married was a happy time but fraught with disastrous things like strange in-laws, medical issues, and learning to work full-time for the first time in my life to support myself and my new husband, who was finishing college.
Building our first home in Steamboat Springs was a happy time but full of anxiety because this was Ted’s first experience being a pastor of several small congregations. Would he succeed or even like the profession he’d chosen?
Two years later, he was called to a different place, a “bigger and better” opportunity, and we had to leave a house we’d so lovingly built. I was devastated.
I’m still sad when I recall those times, but then happier memories flood my mind — sledding for a mile down a country road in the moonlight, our first child being born, taking a community art class and learning to paint.
Raising teenagers was an anxious era. Was I wise enough, strong enough, patient enough, smart enough to get these girls safely launched into the adult world?
Win some, lose some. Sometimes I can laugh remembering, especially when my family is here, and we’re sitting around a table playing games.
Coming back to Ramona was a happy time but better in anticipation than in actuality. Then again, I had a lot to learn about living in a small town in the country. I’m still happy to be here. It was a good choice.
I was actually hunting on You Tube for information about a new film released by the Dalai Lama on the subject of happiness. I instead discovered a podcast called “Office Hours” by Arthur Brooks.
He recently released a book on the subject of happiness; I’ve mentioned him before. He teaches at Harvard. His findings are of particular interest in quixotic, uneasy, isolated, worrisome times like we are experiencing now.
He says that studies show happiness often peaks in your 60s. In your 70s, half of the population gets happier, and half get sadder.
I, for one, am in the “happier” category and would like to stay there.
I do know a few reasons why I continue to be happy. Thanks to my very conscientious, religious parents, I was cautioned early on not to smoke or drink alcohol — which saved me a lot of trouble.
I also was taught to eat a healthy diet and exercise (which meant working hard). So, I was lucky enough to be engrained with four life-improving habits from the get-go.
In the podcast, Arthur went on to underline three more steps that improve your wellbeing throughout your life and also improve your overall health.
“Practice coping,” he said.
Life is full of difficult things. How do you handle them? Prayer and meditation come into play here.
“Be a lifelong learner” was next. Reading books is one way.
The last big tip was to love.
It’s February, my friends, and aren’t we lucky to have a day set aside for showing love to others?
This isn’t just for sweethearts and spouses; it’s a holiday for everyone. Why not see how far you can spread the love?
Being loving is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your own health and happiness and for the health and happiness of your community.
It’s another day in the country, and another chance for you to practice being a happy camper.