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"Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that. "
George Carlin

It's wonderful to find yourself realizing the sheer exuberance of life. To blissfully accept it with all your being, becoming open and free to all that is. This phenomenon is become more and more common with me. To go beyond acceptance, but to be excited and almost overwhelmed by life's beauty, this is something you rarely hear people talk about. Most people moan about the trivialities and mundane nature of life, but rarely do you hear people ecstatic about their existence, that is outside of a night of drinking. Sure, ecstasy and joy come easier with friends and beer, but for those of us who feel overjoyed by a simple walk, a gesture by a stranger, or even a good cup of tea all else becomes just as blissful.

I believe there is a necessary stage of denial, anger, and depression necessary to obtain true happiness. In order to claim authority on the subject I must first make the claim to happiness. Yes, I am happy. I am beyond happy, I am ecstatic about being alive. I have bitched, moaned, hated and been overwhelmingly furious with this whole ordeal. I felt life was a gyp, that everyone was fake and the universe was fucked. I do not look back on this with spite or shake my head at my naivety. I rejoice in it. It was entirely necessary; it was part of the puzzle. Few people like to embrace the idea of personal evolution, or accept change in themselves and their life. To me, it seems absurd to try and hang on to yourself. You do not exist, that is the idea that is your identity. Shit, every seven years you're comprised of an entirely different set of cells. You are literally not the same person, and continue not to be. Flux is the only constant in the universe. Anyways, the whole humdrum of everyday existence seems to be complaints, exaggeration, frustration, and dissatisfaction with either who we are, what we're doing or where we are going. I say bah humbug to all of this! If you are to be happy, you must accept all of life, even the crap. Crap is essential; it makes life more interesting and really is some of the most powerful experiences we have. Stress, anger, hatred, envy, sloth, depression and so on are just as vital as joy, love, fun, and drunkenness. They're all part of this big amalgamation called happiness.

There has always been this nebulous question of happiness hanging over humanity's head. Philosophers, religious leaders, and now scientists and psychologists are trying to figure out what exactly happiness is and how to obtain it. They're looking at the chemicals, attributes, and personality traits of people who generally view this whole shindig as a pretty good deal. All the while everyone else if frustrated with raising taxes, republicans, democrats, poverty, AIDS, the holocaust, war, and yada yada. Now i'm not brushing any of this off. I cannot offer solutions, all I can suggest is looking out on a clear day (or night) up at the vast expansion of the sky. Take a good look at just how big it is. Now look around you. Lots of stuff going on. Things just happening, just existing. If you're like me, something will begin to click, something so profound it's kind of stupid. So obvious it's beautiful. That is, the meaning of life is to simply BE, that existence itself is enough. Everything that encompasses human existence, and the universe is a mere fluxuation of energy. To some this is nihilistic and depressing. However, imagine the possibilities. No failure, no success, no purpose, no perfection, no good, no evil. Only Being. Every aspect of existence has its place in this absurdity, and all are equally beautiful, truly beautiful. It is what all the Buddhas and Jesuses were going on about. That the "Kingdom of Heaven" is within. It's all you.

There's this deep seeded disconnect with our surroundings. This illusion persists that we are somehow separated from everything else. Because of our cognition we are able to objectify ourselves from the world, forgetting that we are actually part of the whole. Like the trees, the stars, the chair, the computer screen we are comprised of atoms and deeper still, of energy. We are bound together, constantly interacting with our "Self" as the Hindus put it. Therefore, everything and everyone we encounter is our Self, we are all one. With this understanding we begin to appreciate the totality of our experience. The people we meet, experience we have, and life we live becomes enriched. Everything is beautiful and almost magical. It is chaotic, ordered, contradictory and yet harmonious. For many, this is God. For me, it just is.

As I lie in my bed I feel consumed by joy. Nietzsche asks us to allow for more joy in our lives, and I see so many people pushing it away so that they may pursue some goal, some purpose always just out of our reach. We all overlook the most precious and limited of our assets, and that is time. You can laugh this off as hippie dippy or touchy feely crap; it is of no consequence to me. Your misery to me is as beautiful as your happiness. I just thought I would share this, as I am compelled to. You are free, so do as you please.

"I think people should be allowed to do anything they want. We haven't tried that for a while. Maybe this time it'll work."
George Carlin