Simplicity does not exclude beauty, nor happiness. The riotous colours of spring are not the only scenery worth photographing. I do not need to go to Banff to find something worth recording- keeping my eyes open will show me everything I need. I think, often, what fuels our society's moves from location to location, job to job, hobby to hobby, is not a real dissatisfaction with what we have, but with the nagging idea that we should want better. I should not be happy as a waitress, because it is not a high-profile job. I should not be happy in my small town, because there is so much more culture in the cities. Why should I settle?
Indeed, why settle. I am experimenting with the idea that beauty, and happiness can be found everywhere. It is not exclusive to a major city, to night-life, museums and large movie theatres. It is not exclusive to high profile jobs- directors, travel writers, doctors. It can be found, I think, on a well treed sidewalk. In a pot full of potato stew. In one more square knitted towards your first blanket. In a secret spot, among the grasses in the field. Happiness is everywhere, waiting to be found.
I do not mean to say that if one is truly miserable in their situation, they should bear it. This is not a shut up and smell the roses thought- but for the meantime. Until I can afford to move somewhere larger. Until I can afford that tank of gas, to get me to the mountains. Until I have the training for the job I've chosen as a career- until then, do I need that night at the club? Do I need that new phone? Do I need to go see a movie every weekend, try a new restaurant instead of buying groceries? Or can I be happy here, at home? At the park down the road? Just a thought.
