Childhood Happiness, the golden days, the days before reality and cynicism hit, the days of ignorant bliss. Back when Mum and Dad were invincible, do-no-wrong super-heroes, right and wrong were as easy to tell apart as black and white and death was an abstract concept that only happened to animals. The days when Happiness came in every form, when real, true sadness, did not yet exist, the days when people did not kill each other, the world was not dying and money was just a piece of paper. And then people wonder why teenagers and young adults have the highest rates of mental illness.
Growing up means everything you thought you knew is tainted, you become disillusioned with life, and everybody you thought you knew changes, not literally, the version of them in your head. Imperfection begins to creep in and knock the people you love of their imaginary pedestals. The world suddenly becomes a much scarier place, with real crime, disease, and danger. And somewhere amidst all of these changes, Happiness is so easily lost, stolen, or given up.
The word Happiness, is described as a 'mass noun' in the Oxford dictionary, and so, ironically, cannot be summed up within one confining definition, you can attempt to allude to it, using it's synonyms as provided, contentment, pleasure, satisfaction, cheerfulness etc, however none of these really give justice to the idea of Happiness. If Happiness cannot be defined in the dictionary, if it cannot be given a definitive definition upon which people can look on and decide if they do in fact have Happiness, why are these ideals of Happiness thrust upon us?
Happiness is an abstract idea, and one that cannot be defined as a single entity that anyone can have, rather Happiness comes in different forms, and looks different to different people. There is an Art to getting and keeping Happiness, and just as literal Art looks different and is appreciated differently by different people, so to is Happiness. Some people appreciate all Art, while others are picky, some people make Art of their own, and keep it for themselves to admire and to have, while others prefer to give theirs away, or sell it, some only like Art that nobody else appreciates.
Therefore, the Art of Happiness, is not something that is as simple as steps in a self-help book or Buzzfeed article, however, neither is it something that some people can have and others can't, happiness can be given, bought, stolen, sold, created and destroyed, Happiness looks different to different people, comes in different forms, and the things that give you happiness can change over-time. Happiness is not something that is lost forever, however it is also not something that can always be kept.
Lastly, Happiness shouldn't be kept hidden in some small, dark place where nobody can appreciate it, Happiness should be displayed and therefore shared, just because somebody else doesn't have it doesn't mean that you should feel guilty for having yours, just as if somebody displays all of theirs, doesn't mean you should feel yours is any more worthless, because just like Art, Happiness is an abstract concept that means different things to different people.
One definition of Art by the Oxford dictionary is "a skill ... typically acquired through practice." So if you find your Art of Happiness is lost or stolen, or you have given it away, keep on practicing, and don't give up.
Remember, just like Art, it doesn't matter what it means to other people, Happiness is about what it means to you.
-Emsy
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