by Phil Reed.

Happiness - Go On Ahead

Happiness, (its said, and who am I to argue?)
comes as part of the standard package of being human.
No expenses spared,
and generously included at no cost!

All too often however,
I find it gets lost in the packaging;
like the small fiddly part that gets lost in the carpet.

Or perhaps its like the friendship ring that was lost in the multipurpose compost bag of life,
found again a year later when it was least expected;
and then only after a claim on the insurance had bought something far more .. inferior.

Happiness is bemused by our complications!
Always waiting;
gentle, patient, loving,.. and unconditionally accepting;
eager, and (some would say unreasonably) very, well - happy - to accompany us on every excursion in life!

But we get distracted, by those last minute arrangements of our itinary;
We can't find the right map; the one we have is useless,
and so we frantically call down to reception to tell Happiness to go on ahead without us.

Knowing of our awful sense of direction, Happiness eases back into a comfortable seat and stays waiting;
Reception has become its second home.
It saves a place for us, only to see us then rush past, clutching our papers, with our focus anywhere but in the present.

Happiness, sitting by the window - sees us race into Wordly Way,
taking then a wrong turn into Mayhem Mews. It knows the pattern well.
By this time, Gentleness, Forgiveness, and Patience - along with a few others have joined Happiness for a drink ..
They ask Frustration (who's just left Anger on the doorstep) to join them.

Our Absence is duly noted by Wisdom and Compassion.
They all wait, - in the hope of catching us on our return.
We rush back and forth outside, busy busy busy;

Occasionally glimpsing through misty windows to the warm party glow,
We'll one day realise that these friends are ours; that we belong to them, and they to us.
Infact, we are one and the same.

We'll one day realise that these friends are ours ..
and that we've left our old travelling companion Happiness inside
Our Heart.

We'll recognise Happiness is with Kindness and Authority, always the Champion for Diversity, and Ambassador for Inclusiveness.
We'll know that Happiness wants to take care of ALL our other feelings;
Despite what we may feel about the matter.

Gentleness, Patience, and Love hang a 'Reserved' notice on our chair.
A Gift of Forgiveness waits for us on our table of Joy.
A welcoming glass of Honest Acceptance is on the tab.
One day, we'll choose to take our place.
And through that simple decision,
We'll return home to those who love us.

END

Phil Reed. © 2006
Robert Holden’s The Happiness Project. November 2006