the sound of silence

More often than not, when I get a message from one of my friends in the middle of the week asking me to meet up for coffee or a drink, it's because they need a sounding board for whatever's bothering them.  I'm pretty open minded so they know I would never judge them.  I take it to mean that I'm a pretty good listener.

Lately though, I've noticed that I talk more and listen less.  This, coupled my with my lack of impulse control/gung-ho attitude, leads to a few cringe-worthy moments, especially when it comes to my personal life.

"Listen, listen, listen and then ask strategic questions."

Silence is underrated.  Maybe if I follow this particular rule, life would be a lot less complicated.

chasing pavements

"The pursuit of happiness is the source of all unhappiness."

"You said it, bubba" -- that pretty much sum up everything I have to say about this particular line in the manifesto.

Seriously though, I've been giving this a lot of thought the past few days. It's not happiness per se that is difficult to achieve, it's letting go of the illusions we have about the things that we THINK will bring us happiness. Expectations are rarely met, people we put on pedestals come crashing down. We keep on chasing that impossible dream, not realizing we're already living the dream.

So what is left to do but to live in the moment? Stop and smell those proverbial roses. Eat a box of chocolate-covered marshmallows. Laugh with a friend. Happiness is in the here and now.