blessed, not happy

So this is an old blog, like over 6 months. Don't know exactly when I wrote it. It was the kind of thing where one thing led to another and I ended up writing about different things than what I expected. I'm kind of re-writing it now though, partly 'cause I need something to post.

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So I had heard this quote a while ago (I should mention that it's a partial quote and I still agree with it in its full form):

"Being miserable requires effort - you have to ignore a lot of things."

At the time, I had thought it an excellent quote, a real positive way to approach life, and perhaps that was a good thing for me at the time, an intermediate step to a greater understanding. I guess it was one of the quotes that really made me try and see the beautiful, and no I wasn't depressed and unable to see beauty or anything, but I had limited appreciation I think, at least looking back anyway.

I thought about the quote in terms of opposites. I wondered, if being miserable requires effort in that you have to ignore a lot of things, what does happiness require? I wondered, does it work to say "Being happy requires effort - you have to ignore a lot of things"? And I think that is also true. I thought, maybe it's just that there are different kinds of happiness; the type that comes from ignoring everything that displeases you, and maybe there is a type that comes from a certain contentment but awareness. Or maybe happy just isn’t a very good word to use.

And then it clicked.

There is a song called Happy Is A Yuppie Word. I've read the song story and it comes from a Bob Dylan quote. He is asked by Rolling Stone magazine on the occasion of his 50th birthday if he is happy. He replies, "These are yuppie words; happiness and unhappiness. It's not happiness or unhappiness; it's blessed or unblessed." I've read it many times and thought yeah whatever. I mean I thought it was a nice sentiment and all, but just as I wrote this blog (or when I wrote the original), as I sat there trying to justify happiness without ignorance, this seems to be the solution. Blessed is a much better word.

I feel like 'blessed' encapsulates a larger understanding. I think it captures an awareness and broader view than happiness. To know that there are horrible things going on in the world; but to know that there is so, so much beauty, and love, and hope. A happiness without ignorance. Kind of like a contentment but at the same time a discontent that moves you to action. I think it's the kind of thing that only works with a knowledge of the existence of God. Well, that's how it makes sense to me anyway. But I'm not going to get into the existence of God in this post, it's quite long enough and I'm not done yet.

Going back to the original quote, I don't think it's a ridiculous notion at all. I appreciate the idea of it, but have to conclude that it's also necessary not to ignore the things that might make you miserable. Balance is best. "If you approach life and forget about the atrocities that we commit, then you're not being honest. And if you approach life and simply look at the terrible things and forget about the amazing aspects of what it means to be alive, then you're going to be suicidal. So, somewhere in the middle is honesty and embracing all of life."

In reality, I don't think it's physically (or mentally?) possible to be aware of everything at once. So I guess we live our entire lives in a state of ignorance. Just depends on what things it is that you are ignorant of at a particular moment. So when you're not ignorant of the things that require change, that require action, you'd better do something about it. Fill yourself with the hope that inspires change, because "every day you're alive, you change the world."