Happiness, Courtesy of One Small Thing

Sometimes, you can’t stop thinking about a thing you wrote once. Maybe because it was so witty, philosophical, reflective, deep, provocative or profound. Or, maybe because your brain is so full of fog that the only idea you have is one you already had.

 

Either way.

 

It seems I’m still thinking about this whole “choose to be happy” thing. Why? Because now, people, is when you gotta put your money where your mouth is. (But don’t really do that, ‘cuz then how will you pay for your coffee?)

 

Once Sukkot comes to an end, summer vacation is well and truly over. And even though we are reveling in the return to routine (Yay! Back to regular life!), there’s just a wee bit of sadness that the festivities are gone (Oh. Back to … regular life.) PHB: the Post-Holiday Blahs are settling in.

 

It’s especially hard during that first week back because the next vacation is just ever so far away. Plus, we realize that in addition to all the work-work that’s piled up during the past month, life-work is also waiting, and none too patiently. Make that doctor’s appointment! And the dentist appointment! Laundry + food shopping! For the love of duct tape, fix that @#$#$# [broken thing] already! Buy that new garbage can, you know you need one!

 

In other words, DO ALL THE THINGS. We’ve been cheerfully pushing off everything to Later, but folks, Later is here, and she’s not in a good mood.

 

And it’s not just us grownups having a hard time buckling down to do all our things. Mornings have been rough on my second grader. (The first day of school after Sukkot—after being home for 2+ weeks!—is like the first day of school, but with more of the dread and none of the excitement.) He states, point blank: “I don’t like school. I don’t want to go.” And even though he generally returns home in a good mood, telling me a funny story or a game he played in gym, his short-term memory is painfully lacking the next morning. (“Remember??” I cry desperately, “Remember when yesterday wasn’t so bad??”) He even savvily plays the “You’re only sending me to school to get me out of the house!” card. Which, I have to explain, is actually not true when you’re in second grade. Cue explanation of “truancy officer.” (Do they still have those?)

 

Once I explain how not going to school could land us both in jail (where they have TV but no kids’ shows), I launch into the “Choices” lecture: You can’t always choose how things turn out but you can choose how to react to them. Going to school: Not a choice. Being grumpy about it: Definitely a choice.

 

Then, I segue right into the “One Small Thing” speech. I encourage him to find one tiny little flicker of hope in every day. One cheery something thing he can look forward to, whether it’s a game at recess, a certain class, or even dinner. Sometimes we even write down a schedule of every day’s One Small Thing. And the best part? One Small Things are all over the place, all the time. Birthday parties? Eh, they’re fun, but only once a year. But the funny parsha teacher? Every Friday! Gym class? Twice a week! Dinner? EVERY SINGLE DAY! (A philosophy that always reminds me of this brilliant Calvin and Hobbes strip.)

 

And then, mid-lecture, I realize that hey, I should listen to these wise words I’m saying. Yes, vacation is done, gone, bye-bye. Yes, there are a lot of things that need to get done. And it can feel daunting and endless and full of blah. But remember: Choose to look for those little happy things, wherever you can find them. For me right now, it’s going to be a second cup of coffee.