Is Happiness a Choice?

Sunday 11/24/2013 7PM

Get Out!   That's what I decided to do and I think it worked.  In my last post I talked about the Mind/Body connection and how important it was to be happy in order to heal. Scientific evidence demonstrates that happy people are healthier and heal better than unhappy people. This rare disease PRP was starting to get to me. (Hey look. I just used the past tense, so I must be making progress with my attitude). 

 

I discussed this with my son at lunch Friday and he suggested going to the symphony, knowing that's something I like to do.  So he immediately came up with the answer I had been missing.  Do what you enjoy.  My take away from his advice? Do something! Take action. Don't just wait to feel better. There was no symphony this weekend but there was a concert at the Peabody School of Music here in Baltimore.  A bit of a hike on a windy, cold, winterish  night. Much easier to stay in the warmth of home, but a friend was going and told me about the concert so I gave myself a bit of a push and ventured out. 

We're very lucky to have, in this old industrial city, one of the world's great schools of music.  Students come from all over the world, particularly Asia, to study here.   Leon Fleisher the famous pianist, as well as a teacher and conductor led the students in a wonderful performance.  It was fascinating to sit close up (the second row) and watch the expressions on the young musicians' faces.  Serious concentration, intermixed with pure joy.  And the delight of being there which I got to share. 

Fleisher appeared more in the role of proud and beloved teacher than conductor.  He has none of the magical hand/arm motions of the great conductors. But this was good as there was nothing to distract you from listening to the music and watching the students perform.  A truly happy occasion for all. (This isn't a great picture, but taking pictures is kind of forbidden so I had to sneak this one).

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Another thing I did is meet with a couple of friends for coffee (well tea actually for me, no coffee at least for a while) at a new cafe of which I was totally unaware, just a few blocks from my house. Great ambience and a great place to hang out with a computer. This will now be my new hangout of choice.  A great find!

And I reconnected with some members of an activist group working to Save the Trees in Baltimore's Mt Vernon  Place Park. who wanted to bring the website I had created up to date. My concern was that a weak but prominent member was showing signs of wanting to compromise with the opposition, when such a compromise is neither possible nor desirable.  Having spent enough time on this cause and with other things to do, I didn't want to get sucked into this again. I wanted to help, but not contribute to a surrender.  In the end, it all turned out well.  My site will live on and contribute with new content being added by a young dynamic member of the group while the waffler-in-chief pledged her steadfastness in not backsliding or compromising the cause (a condition of my contributing the website).

So these are a few things I've involved myself with to improve my attitude.  Happiness is a Choice.  Or so I believe.   My rare disease - PRP has given me a chance to test this a bit as it has been getting me down.  But if I really believe Happiness is a Choice, and if happiness is essential to a cure which I also believe, then this is a chance to prove the theory.  

Now I'm aware that my problem with this disease is no where as serious as what others less fortunate have to contend with in their lives.  But, you know how people who have everything going for them can be unhappy while others with all kinds of serious problems are happy? That's what I'm talking about here.  It's the glass half full or empty question.  I think we can choose which way to see it.   So here is what appears to be working for me.

1.  Get out!   Get out of the house. I was a bit confined with difficulty with walking - my feet - and energy.  But I'm working on those things to avoid them keeping me in. 

2. Make time to interact with others .. friends and family. I can be a world class recluse, but this can be over done.

3. Do things you enjoy.  All work (in this case focusing on the healing regimen) and no play is not a good idea. And counterproductive.

4. Make an effort and take charge. Be active not passive.Do something! A clue is the expression "Don't let it get you down". It indicates a belief that we can influence our mood.

5. Discover new things.  (A new cafe. A first time visit to the Peabody concert hall.)  New things remind us that there are more opportunities and possibilities and less limits than what we may imagine. A reason for hope and optimism. 

Finally, let me say, I'm a little hesitant about issuing this post but if you're reading it I guess I did.  Hesitant because all of this is either too obvious or alternatively, it  may be totally wrong! 

So I would really like to know what you think.  Is Happiness a Choice or does it just happen or not happen?   And thanks for reading!