Happiness Pie

Aidan is home from the hospital. EEG glue still stuck in his hair. 

I bought a little dinosaur puzzle for us to work on since much of our activity after a hospital stay needs to be done while sitting or laying down. 

The directions said: "Easy to hatch-mind boggling to close." After several minutes of trying to get this egg cracked (including a pitocin drip) I finally got this bad boy out. It was mind boggling enough! This dinosaur is out of his shell forever! 

Anyway, it made Aidan happy. 

Anyone who knows me, knows I will read anything on the subject of happiness (well, that and suffering...and where's God in the suffering. Happy little thoughts like that:)  

"The Happiness Project"

"Happiness Is A Serious Problem"

"The Secret Keys to Happiness" 

 If the title has the word happiness, it doesn't take me long to crack that open. 

I want a piece of that pie..the happiness pie...

It's a bit of a mystery. People who seem to have it all and expect happiness to be a byproduct, die from a drug overdose trying to ease the pain. Others, who remember having very little as a child, barely enough to eat and only hand me down clothes often talk about how happy they were. They didn't know not to be happy! Thats a home where love abounds. 

Look at the happiness on this child's face after receiving his first pair of new shoes:) 

I often produce that look when I buy new shoes:)

 At first sight, those look a little too big for him but he doesn't seem to mind. Oh, the joy:) 

A while back, I signed up for a research study at Virginia Tech. It sounded interesting but I mainly did it for the monetary compensation offered for my time. (I wanted to wallpaper my bathroom....for free:)

I was the first woman accepted into the study. I met the basic criteria: A women of a certain age and weight range, not taking any form of drugs, or even vitamins. Interestingly, they were having trouble finding women my age who where not taking some kind of prescription drug. I asked about it and was told that most were on some kind of an anti-depressent.

Oh, a happiness pill......

Recently, I went to my doctor for suggestions/help for the symptoms of menopause. He rattled off a list, which included an anti-depresent. I stopped him right there and then and said: "You've got to be kidding me - an anti-depresent for the symptoms of menopause?" He told me it helped a lot of women, including his wife. (I hope his wife gave him permission to share that because here I am blabbing about it)  He said: "It takes the edge off." Hm...edgy? Maybe he meant bitchy.

 Edgy + bitchy = An unhappy woman.

 No one you'd want to be around! Apparently, there's a pill for that..

 I'd like to think I can figure this happiness thing out the natural way but, if it's anything like figuring out how to get the natural look from the makeup artists behind the Mac counter..this is going to take a little work..

So, I read about happiness. Reading is my anti-depressent drug of choice. I take it at least three times a day, often in a reclined position. Extreme conditions may call for reclining in a tub of hot bubbly water. And never on an empty stomach.

Side effects may include, but are not limited to: dry mouth (quickly remedied with glass of red wine) A general feeling of wellbeing. A strong desire to look on the bright side. A slight upturn of the corners of the mouth. And if the words work their magic and you feel a euphoria that lasts for more than four hours, share that book with a friend.. 

I think I've narrowed down the secrets to happiness to a few key things:

Someone to love

Finding a purpose and a passion in life

Something to look forward to

Pie. 

The other day I was thinking (because I have a strange little mind) that there should be some kind of emergency pie mobil. 

Whatever your mood...there's a pie for that...

It would jingle down the streets like the old ice cream trucks playing a little song..maybe something like:

Oooooooooooooooh!
Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch
You know that I love you!
I can't help myself!
I love you and nobody else!

Pie!

It's no surprise that an animal as loyal, true and one that displays  unconditional love such as a dog..is God spelled backward. The same rule applies to the word "stressed"...no surprise what that spells backwards:) 

tBasically, I feel like we are born with a natural set point for happiness. Horrible things happen and it dips below our set point. Good things happen and it's raised. Then back again to its norm. But, we're all different. There are those who seem to find happiness easily and those we know as the Eeyore's "End of the road. Nothing to do, and no hope of things getting better!" Poor Eeyore, he has a very low happiness set point:) 

Aidan's condition messes with my set point. (which I feel is naturally set quite high) The drugs they tried intravenously had no effect on his seizures. It's disappointing to say the least. Just like the game of Candy Land when unfortunately you choose the card that takes you all the way back to square one-just when you feel like you are approaching a sweet place. 

But, Aidan is no Eeyore. He doesn't even know to be unhappy. Love abounds. We're still slicing that pie..and serving it out. It's not the end of the road. We will try the next thing. And, love abounds..and abounds.