International day of happiness

Today they say is international day of happiness. I remember when I was growing up we had Christmas, Easter, Valentines day, Halloween and a few more, all other days were just Monday through Sunday. Now there is a need to label everyday something to celebrate or mark the occasion of. Most I ignore, but this one caught my attention. Happiness ahh that wonderful feeling of ...label what you think it is here...... To me happiness is "a feeling of joy that makes my heart want to burst". Of course I am not the only one to feel this, see here  https://www.scienceandnonduality.com/the-brain-heart-connection-emotions-feelings-and-health/  and I am not a good enough writer to detail this feeling into words.

But on this feeling, I think that is a lot to live up to isn't it? I am only happy if it causes this wonderful powerful feeling in my heart???  Umm well like many things in my life I am all in or not at all, one extreme to another, It is how I am. I am learning balance (I still think that is boring, but I am learning) but I don't want to focus on a balanced lesser version of feeling happiness in this blog and its my blog so I can do what I want. But I digress, back to happiness and this feeling of my heart wanting to burst because it might just not be able to contain the joy and feeling. I have been fortunate in life to have experienced this numerous times. I can remember some of them quickly off the top of my head when I hear the word happiness:
-playing outside by myself when I was seven, I had new socks and loved them
-seeing Terry for the first time
-a 230 am swim with Terry
-holding Justin for the first time, seeing all my children for the first time
-sitting on the bus going over the Mackay bridge on the way to work looking at the sunrise
-flying for the first time without fear
-hearing a song in a time of crisis that calmed my soul and spoke to me ("quiet your mind" by Great Lake Swimmers)
-a day on the Cabot Trail with Terry from sunrise to sunset, camera in hand
-jumping in the waves at Lawrencetown beach during a major heat wave, waves so perfect, there has to be a god
-making love outside for the first time - tall grass, hot sun, warm breeze
-watching the sunset over the Tuscan valley

Yes I have been happy, I have experienced happiness. Sometimes it comes because I have worked hard to achieve it, however, sometimes it just slays me out of nowhere. These are my favorite times, they give me hope that it can happen again and again. These unexpected visitations teach me that happiness isn't just something I deserve when I try hard and do good, sometimes it's just a beautiful gift given by the universe for no reason except I opened up to it. I think we all experience this, we are all visited with moments days weeks and longer of happiness and bliss. Maybe at times we shut off and won't let the feeling surface, I know I have, but having said that, I know happiness doesn't only come to those open to experience it,- here is the best part - it comes to all of us anyway. It comes to those that do not deserve it and to those that do, to those that squander it and to those that treasure it, to those open to it, to those closed to it and to those guilt ridden and feeling unworthy of it. Happiness comes anyway, why? Because it's not a thing- an external state- a event- a episode. Happiness is humanness. It is a bonus awesome byproduct of humanness.

Whether you worked for your happiness or you are fortunate enough to have it visit you unexpectedly today may your heart burst with the joy of it on this international day of happiness.