The Happiness Project

[gnimmel]

I'm interested in happiness.
I mean, everyone is, I guess[1]. But I've been reading discussions like this, and this, and this. And I was thinking about the cheese and pickled onion sandwich.

The thing about the cheese and pickled onion sandwich is this: provided it is the right cheese and pickled onion sandwich (that is to say one with crispy

Comments

[ashfae]

I went to summer camp as a kid; not something that exists out here, really, though from what I've gathered most Brits know the gist of it. The camp I went to was called Eagle's Nest, and it was way up in the Pisgah Forest, in the Appalacian Mountains. One day we were taken on a random hike; I'm sure I could wander the Pisgah Forest for years and not find the spot we ended up in. After a while we were let loose to run around (within reason) and explore. I found myself walking up a hill covered in small, small trees, I could've wrapped my hands around the trunks, possibly even just one hand. Very thin tall trees, but lovely, with a canopy of leaves above our heads so you couldn't see sky, just patches of light. I walked up the hill amongst them and then suddenly, I was at the top, my hand was above the canopy, I was standing on the hill and looking over the treetops. A sea of treetops, as though I were somehow hovering above the whole forest; nothing but treetops for miles, and me miraculously above them, but my feet were still on the ground too.

There's an animated movie version of the Hobbit which I grew up knowing and loving (Chris couldn't sit through it, sigh, and its flaws are many I suppose, but I love it, I've always known it and it was my first introduction to Tolkien). There's a moment where, after ages of wandering lost through Mirkwood, the dwarves send Bilbo to climb a tree and see if he can get their bearings. After wandering in the dark and in fear, he suddenly breaks through into sunlight and an unexpected moment of wonder that's so great it feels closer to grief, because it's changed him forever. It felt like that. (if you want you can see it here at about 2:10-3:10, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9uaOqLHR9c&feature=related)

...actually that's less happy and more profound. I'll come back later with a happy one. This memory is at the core of me though, and is made of joy. =)