Are we as a people so broken and experiencing such heartache, sorrow, and pain that we no longer know how to identify happiness even in the smallest of things?

I’ve noticed in the past few weeks that often times when people bring up something in conversation it is seldom about positive events. Often times the conversations revolve around or circle back to topics of how so and so cheated on his wife, or she ran off with another man, or someone’s marriage is troubled, or they aren’t raising their kids right, or any other countless news that evokes pain, sorrow, or heartache. That familiar shaking of the head and saying “how sad”.

I understand that the reason so many of us can relate to such topics is because whom among us hasn’t experienced or is experiencing those emotions in our lives. But then I wonder, is it truly because we aren’t experiencing much happiness anymore in our lives or because we are more drawn to the sorrow and sadness and even if we see or have things to be thankful and happy for, we’d rather concentrate on the former and wallow and dwell in that? Or worse yet, are we envious of other people’s happiness and therefore prefer to just ignore it?

And so I wonder, is happiness overrated? Have we learned to just overlook those small yet very significant blessings that sometimes seem hidden (or that we bury) behind sorrow and pain? Are we, rather than highlighting the good – no matter how small it may seem – putting all our efforts into only seeing the negative and letting ourselves be wrapped up in unhappiness?

Sometimes I think, had I started this blog in my twenties, wow, with the amount of confusion, sorrow, and pain I was going through with family and personal problems, I would probably have countless people relating with me. But instead I find myself having started this blog and writing in a moment in my life where, sure there are changes and things that don’t quite go as I imagine or that I worry about my parents and brother, but overall I feel happy and blessed and just thankful to God beyond words for what I get to enjoy.

Even if not everything in life or my personal growth is going as planned I would much rather highlight those small special moments. Like how today our daughter took her very first steps alone! Or that we came home and found our dog had chewed up my husband’s shoes, again, and got such a good laugh out of it. And I couldn’t stop laughing as my husband commented that they’re turning out to be the most expensive shoes now that we need to get them fixed again by the shoe repair guy for the second time. Or that one smile from our daughter erases any negative thought in my mind. Or that I’m thankful that even though my husband and I weren’t there to see our daugther’s very first steps alone, my mom was, and how special that felt. Or the fact that I’m alive, taking one day at a time, and thankful to God for his love and his care.

I sure hope that happiness isn’t overrated, and that despite any brokenness in the world or in our lives we can take a moment and give those small yet significant blessings in our lives a chance to blossom and fill our hearts with happiness.