Are you happy?

Are you happy? I mean are you really happy? Did you know that over 300 million adults in the world live in total loneliness?

If you watched the Sunday Morning show, with Jane Pauley this past weekend, you saw this information. The thing that I came away from after watching the show was everyone needs one friend that you can call if you are in trouble, you are sick or sad, if you want to share some wonderful news, if you need help or if you just need a friend…the 3am friend! Someone you can call 24/7 and feel safe.

Some of you may say your spouse or significant other, but a lot of people don’t have anyone and some people have a long list, according to the study on happiness.

Having friends, especially that one 3am friend, is the key to real happiness. I think I have a pretty good list of those people. I have to think that some on my friends feel the same way. If you don’t, feel free to add me.

I also learned that there are two categories of happiness…Happiness Now and Enduring Happiness. For me, I think I have an abundance of “happiness now” happiness. Looking back, I thought I had “enduring happiness” but obviously, it was more fleeting than I thought! I have had much happiness in my life. My marriage was one of those happy places for many years. Bringing a life into the world and becoming a mom was also another time when I thought my happiness was enduring. I am still very happy being a mom and now a “CeCe” but the enduring happiness from my marriage was not meant to be.

Before you start worrying about me, I want to let you know, I do believe that I am happy…if indeed true friendships make you happy, then I must be way happier than I realize.

I am fortunate to have friends in my family, friends from school, (high school & college), friends from jobs, past & present, and friends who have just come into my life through other friends and various life situations.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not always happy, and I definitely have my moments, but those are just that, moments.  When those moments pass, I still have those true friends. I wouldn’t mind having a little more money to do the things I want to do and be able to do more for my family and friends, but the lack of extra cash, does not take away my happiness.

When I really sit and think about it, happiness to me means if everything was taken away from me tomorrow, as long as these true friends are still in my life, I would be happy!

Thinking about this has helped me this week. Nothing really is as important as the people in your life. Today, I went to the funeral visitation of a 42-year old man who died in an accident. His family, a wife and three daughters, are heartbroken. With so many people in that room, his wife was wrapped in love and support but her happiness was broken. Sure, she has people that she will learn to count on, but she was truly the site of someone who doesn't know if she can ever smile again. I believe she must have had enduring happiness. It was crushing to see how it had disappeared from her eyes. I've struggled to get her out of my mind.

On my way home, I thought about happiness and know that I can choose to embrace it, or risk it being taken away. Today, I embrace it.

I hope you have that 3am friend but if you need one, just let me know! xoxoxoxox