Sunday, August 28, 2011

Happy-ish place?

There are times in life that the place where you are is not the place you want to be (Dr. Suess-ish don't you think?). One of my friends recently told me where she goes when she's in a not-so-happy place; she goes to her.....HAPPY PLACE, genius right?  Then she asked what my happy place was.  I thought for a second and realized that I don't have a happy place.  Everyone else has one, what's wrong with me?  I began to focus on this and wonder what could explain my lack of imaginary vacation. I know I have the imaginative capabilities to make the best happy place ever, what could be standing in my way?  I made a list:

1. I am just that damn happy.  I don't need to be taken away to a blissful vacation spot in my mind, life is all peaches and cream for me....bawhahahahahahahaha!
2. I already live in a fantasy world and don't know the difference.
3. I am a realist and want to deal with the unpleasant situation as soon as possible so I can go to a real happy place.
4. I am a complete pessimist and like to wallow in my despair.
5. I am a complete optimist am sure this won't last long enough to imagine myself away.
6. I don't know the feeling of happiness.  I can imagine an amazing place in my mind and it has all the great characteristics of a happy place minus the actual feeling of happy.  (Holy shit, how sad is that one?!?!?!)

I've TRIED to have happy places, I have!  When I was little and was afraid to go to sleep because I might have a nightmare, my mom told me to think of things that made me happy before I fell asleep.  I distinctly remember thinking of Carebears sliding down rainbows.  I tried this last night and had a nightmare. (There's something very scary about brightly colored bears with belly tattoos sliding down a rainbow at neckbreaking speed headed straight for you with a deliriously happy smile on their furry little faces).
I might have a happy "thought" instead of a happy place....just one  One happy thought is all I have...
No really, I remember driving home from Colby, KS when I was about 19 (If you've ever been to Colby I know you're thinking this can't possibly end in a happy thought, but bare with me). It was almost time for the wheat harvest and the wheat was so gold and it was blowing in the strong Kansas wind.  At that moment I realized what it meat to see "amber waves of grain" it was so beautiful.  It was pure gold moving in WAVES.  Like a freakin' miracle!  Then I saw a field with a bunch of cattle grazing.  They were just some giant beasts roaming around in green grass surrounded by an ocean of gold! Throw in an apple tree and it was like I was in the freakin' Garden of Eden! 
I have been amazed by the beauty of Kansas many times since then. But none left such an impression on me as when I realized I got to grow up in such a beautiful place and how lucky I was.
So I guess my brand new happy place is this....Looking out across a field of golden wheat, the wind in my hair.  A big beautiful farm house behind me with some chickens in the yard.  An almost empty interstate highway to my right and some cows grazing in a field to my left.  One of the cows lazily looks up at me and seems to understand.  She kind of smiles and takes a step closer.  A few more steps.  A little faster now, is she running to greet me?  Oh shit, she's really moving!  I think that bastard is charging me!!!!  RUUUUUUNNNNNNN!!!!!!!

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