Happy State of Mind

Tough Guy!

Two options I passed up as a boy were the opportunities to learn a musical instrument. In discussions with my mother we considered the violin, but I did not like the idea of having to carry it around. Some of my hockey playing friends might see me with it! Nevertheless, I was secretly interested in playing an instrument.

In our front living room stood an old grand piano.  Some days after school I would sit there and run my fingers over the keys. In time, I learned to pick out a melody or two, but could never work the left hand into my rhapsodies.

Mom thought I was doing well on my own and talked me into piano lessons. The lessons were short-lived. Once again I did not want to be seen carrying music books around! Somehow, it did not go with my turned up leather jacket collar. Thus, two opportunities to learn a musical instrument slipped away. But unlike the Ancient Mariner, I did not carry that albatross around my neck until much later.

In my seventies, I decided to try a musical instrument again. I knew it was too late to become a successful musician but a few beginner lessons at a local high school night class got me started. I thought I could learn a few chords on the guitar, and along with a strum or two, fulfill a lost dream. That would be my level of success.

 Not once did I heard Winston Churchill say, "Never, never, never give up". On the other hand, I sometimes think our society puts too much emphasis on the idea of success. It leads one to believe there are only two choices in life, good or evil, right or wrong, success or failure! In sports winning is all that matters. In business making lots of money or climbing the corporate ladder is what constitutes success. In life, 'winning friends and influencing people' is an important achievement. And by the way, don't forget to pick up your lottery ticket? Just take a slow walk in a bookstore and count the books on how to be successful in almost anything.

In general much of the advice is useful and good. Who wants to be a failure? But the problem is a single success may provide a useful moment, but not necessarily a happy state of mind. Most of us want to be happy, but just setting goals and achieving them can lead to disappointment. It is unfortunate that we are almost forced to live life as others define it and not the life we truly deserve and want.

Getting old has given me a sense of what truly matters. Winning the lottery, even at my age is not something I would turn down! On the other hand learning to be content with who I am and what I have been is more than enough. Utilizing the gift of time and enjoying my being alive makes me happy more than anything else. And yes, don't forget that 'wonder drug' called exercise. Its benefits are very well documented.

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I wonder if we take too much for granted, believe too many 'truths', live with too many contradictions and lose sight of our deepest needs - to be loved and to be happy above all else.

I will never be a successful guitar player like Paco de Lucia or Eric Clapton. But strumming on my guitar, often by myself, is a wonderful way to relax and to feel my life is well-lived and fulfilling.

And that's Dick's View of the World this Week

Did you know? 

Too much salt is not good for you. It is said that cutting sodium could save thousands of lives a year. Adjust your taste buds, it is worth it.