Here and now

6. November 2014

An unexpected smile on a horrible day from a foreigner just in the right moment; the happy face of your friend when opening that present on which you have secretly been working for a month to surprise him; your cat snuggling and curling up next to you when you wake up – Isn’t it the small pleasures of life that really make our day?

What are the moments that make us happy? What defines the bliss that we are all longing for? What are the sweet moments of life and how do we capture them?

Most of the time, people are talking about the big happenings: the huge birthday party, their wedding or some other very special days. These special days are often referred to as the “best day of my life“. In reality, you spend so much time on preparing and waiting and working for this aim to perfection, that it can be a relief when they are done. In the end, they often turn out to be the busiest days, so that – unfortunately- you cannot really enjoy them properly. What a pity. Are we defining our happiness to the success of our special days and happy events?

Personally, I would describe myself as a very happy and positive person. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of anniversaries and special days of all kind. Thus, they are not my number one priority. I do the things that I want to do, and that’s what makes me happy. Society’s expectations and opinions influence us every day, but everybody needs to decide on their own which path to follow. In my opinion, the freedom of making your own decisions and carrying your life in your hands is the foundation of happiness.

I love hiking: I enjoy the view, the fresh air, the flowers and trees, the mossy ground, the rocks and cliffs, the changes of the landscape that you walk trough towards the top. Reaching the summit is a highlight, it is the proof that you did it! It is a real moment of joy, a bliss. But without the exhausting rocky effort, it would not feel the same. The total experience of the day is the reward.

Along our way in life, it is the small things that catch our eye and raise a smile: the first daisy flowering in spring, the shoes that you found at sale that perfectly fit your favorite dress, the compliment that you just received from somebody you rarely knew, the list is endless. Isn’t that the best thing about it? There are so many little pleasures around us that we just need to acknowledge them to make us happy. Live here and now.