Some People Are Only Happy If They Are Unhappy

Some People Are Only Happy If They Are Unhappy

My dear friend voted for Trump; he’s an old farm boy and now he is unhappy with his choice. I have an e-mail friend in another state, who is not happy unless she’s got three dozen doctors to see.

She complains about them all. And all of the issues they cause. And complains about the stores in her town and their order service and car delivery and her “friend” who helps unload her groceries… and a zillion other things. It wears me out reading her text messages and e-mails.

Are there people you know who are constantly unhappy? Living their lives in a perpetual state of dislike? What makes us happy or unhappy? In fact, what is happiness? Looking on the “know-all” website, we find the definition of happiness is “a state of well-being and contentment.” If an experience is pleasurable or satisfying, it may be described as a happy incident.

We may know some synonyms as joy, elation, gladness, heaven. Felicity and aptness are also related to happy. I remember on the television program, “M.A.S.H.,” that Father Mulcahy, at least once, remarked about the “jocularity” that was evident at the time.

And, bliss – now there’s a synonym that strikes a cord. When was the last time you experienced a sense of bliss? When a baby was born? The purchase of some desired item? Being around family? Knowing the love of your life? The discovery of something you lost and thought you had lost – forever?

I really enjoy creating images with needlepoint. In fact, one of my favorites is the saying, “Those proud of keeping an orderly desk never know the thrill of finding something they thought they had irretrievably lost.” And, with my desk – I have enjoyed that bliss many, many times. In fact, you know that my sister always told me that I need a keeper because I am prone to losing things.

Is there any way we can approach a person who seems to us unreasonably unhappy? We understand the unhappiness that comes with extreme disappointment and hurt, with the death of a family member or another person that we love. The loss of a pet also makes us unhappy. These, to me, are understandably causes of unhappiness.

But, how to help a person who is consistently unhappy for reasons we may not know or understand – this is a difficult situation to deal with. I don’t think I know how to help. If anyone has ideas to share, please do so.

I know that, personally, I am aging. I take a lot of prescribed medications for many diagnoses that have been assigned to me. Of course, I’ve experienced disappointment – we all have. I want to believe that my thinking is still positive. When I rise in the morning and look out of the window and see either green grass or snow on top of the sleeping grass, I know I’m on the right side. I’m not on the root side.

I remember reading advice about doing something. It said, try not think in terms of I HAVE to do this. Rather, think in terms of I GET to do something. It does change your outlook on everything. Does that make me a happy person? Time will tell.

Be Safe and Be Well
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are always welcome.