In Trying Times, Hold Onto Every Bit of Happiness You Can Get
Don’t let it go, don’t feel guilty for having it, and don’t let anyone take it away
To say that this year has been a rollercoaster ride is a complete understatement — this year been unpredictable, uncomfortable, heartbreaking, and traumatic.
Yet, despite all of the ongoing grief that’s been surrounding all of us over the past several months, I’m ecstatic to proclaim that happiness does in fact still exist.
I know because I felt it in an immense way this past weekend.
I got married this past Saturday and I’ve still yet to land my feet back on earth after floating on cloud nine since then.
My wedding day was nothing short of wonderful.
I felt a level of happiness that can only be described as indescribable. To be overcome by that level of happiness was such a miracle in trying times like the one we’ve all been in throughout this pandemic.
This past weekend felt like one of those incredible, unforgettable, rewarding vacations that you so desperately needed and had been looking forward to for a very long time.
It felt like a breath of fresh air after drowning in exhaustion for months; like that big break you’ve been waiting for.
For some of us, this has been the worst year of our lives. For some of us, it’s felt like an eternity since you’ve been able to say that you’ve experienced a moment of genuine happiness in a while.
I’m extremely fortunate to say that I experienced that moment in a very big way on Saturday. However, the day that it happened of course eventually ended…but, the happiness still lingers.
I returned back to work yesterday after having Monday off for the holiday. It was another normal day back to reality, but the happiness was still there. The memories were still fresh and the moment was still replaying in my head.
I’ve thankfully been able to hold onto that moment of happiness despite the harsh realization that things in the world are still really bad — we’re still in a pandemic, natural disasters continue to overrun the country, political tension is still higher than it’s ever been, racial tension is still higher than it’s ever been, our economy is suffering, the list goes on.
Yet, despite all of this, I’m still overwhelmed with the happiness from that big, wonderful, unforgettable moment.
Then, for a second, it almost got away from me.
A flash of guilt jetted past my mind. A coworker attempted to distract me with the sadness in the world. I felt like it wasn’t right for me to be this happy. And right then and there, I almost lost it.
But, I didn’t.
I held onto it for dear life because I couldn’t let go of such a wonderful feeling after all of the bad feelings that have been so prevalent over the past several months. I held onto it because happiness can be a hard thing to come by these days and not everyone has a chance to experience it as often as they deserve to.
In trying times like the one we’re in, we have to hold onto every little bit of happiness we can get our hands on.
We can’t let it get away from us. We have to hold onto it, cherish it, and embrace it for as long as we possibly can because we don’t know how long it will last or when it will return.
We have to try to find happiness wherever and whenever we can, in the little moments and in the moments that we least expect. And when you find that happiness, don’t let it go. Don’t feel guilty for having it and don’t let anyone take it away from you.
Life is too short and moments are fleeting. Those moments of happiness are what make it all worth it at the end of the day.
