I have discovered the key to happiness. No, it’s not a change in lifestyle or some Zen shift in consciousness. Let’s call it happen-ness—whatever happens makes me happy. The key here is that it happens as opposed to my wanting it to happen or not happen.
My refrigerator is a noisy runner, and it used to bother me. I wanted to get rid of it—I wanted peace and quiet when I was writing, talking, or going to bed. And then my freezer quit running. Only I didn’t know it, because it was a quiet runner. The food spoiled, and I gave thanks for the teaching.
Now my refrigerator’s hum, like a sleeping child’s breathing, gives me periodic reassurance that it is alive and well. I cherish the refrigerator as a part of my indoor life, just as the birds grace my time outdoors. I realized that I chose to be in the house just as I chose to be outside, so why find pleasure in one set of sounds and annoyance in another? I wouldn’t think to have the birds quiet down so I could have a peaceful walk in the woods, so why curse the fridge? She is singing her song of being, the same as the birds, and now I cherish her place in my life—she makes me happy.
This is powerful beyond measure.
The re-spelling is experiential versus abstract. (Happeness vs. Happiness)
Of course my spell checker doesn’t like it. Too noisy I guess 😉
I’ve come to appreciate, and even revel in that which seems to go against.
This reminds me of “The Work” by Byron Katie and how she realized happen-ness and guides folks to their own realization? Her books have been remarkably helpful resources for me since the WGP.