Look, of course the world is collapsing around you. Melting glaciers, polarising politicians, sliding economy — and — you lost your job too? Oh, that’s sad, but you know what you should do? Be Happy.
Smile till your jaws freeze. And as the millions of million-dollar gurus tell you, look at the bright side, till your eyes water. Being happy is painful. But you have got to work hard at it. Chin up, grin up. If you’re not happy, you are being a bad citizen. Or a bad parent. A bad something anyway; that should guilt you into Being Happy.
A friend wants to know why the sun should beam through her two front teeth when her heart is cracking. Why, when she’s lost someone she loves, she’s being bullied into ‘Be Happy for him, he’s moved on’.
And this Happiness trap — it starts early. See that baby bawling at the mall? The family stuffs a bottle into his mouth — wail! Ice cream — wail! Laugh, baby, come on, laugh. They throw him into the air, tickle him, spin him – wail, and finally, puke all over the dad.
It is competitive, too. Why didn’t you comment on me Being Happy? Didn’t you see my kid’s face when straining to go? It is adorable. Hundred and fifty five people, except you, liked it. Then, up the stakes a bit too. You’re Happy because your husband keeps calling you the minute you leave home? Mine wrote me a gushing post on social media. Who’s Happier now, huh?
It wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time, folk were allowed to feel grouchy. Or bored. Remember sepia-toned photographs of great grandfathers glowering into the camera? Now, if you’re not smiling, retake the picture. You don’t look ecstatic enough. They will think your holiday wasn’t fabulous enough. All that money you paid, wasted! Even the grizzly behind you is baring its teeth. Smile. Retake.
Or is Happy the ultimate status symbol? If I don’t show you I’m Happy, how will you know that I managed to produce a rank-holder kid, bake a three-layer-cake, run a 10-km marathon, win a biz award, write a book, eat foie gras which half the world can’t afford and the other half can’t pronounce (and for which, a goose has to live in pain). I’ve made such sizzlingly smart choices in my life. I’m beaming like a stadium light because I’m enjoying my success. And yes, I also practise power yoga, a no-carb diet and send Inner Peace jpegs to everyone around. I’m so sorry, you poor thing, that you’re not as Happy as me.
Where Jane De Suza, author of Flyaway Boy, pokes her nose into our perfect lives.
"Happy" - Google News
November 15, 2019 at 05:47PM
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How dare you not be happy? - The Hindu
"Happy" - Google News
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