Edward Hays ~ Author, Artist & Storyteller
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Happy New Year

12/30/2015

 

Happy New Year


Dear old and new friends,

     Wishes for a "Happy New Year" are exchanged these days with neighbors, strangers on the streets, clerks in stores and echoed from out of television sets. A happy, blissful, joyful, cheerful and delightful 2016 is for many people however unattainable if not impossible. For most the only difference of this coming New Year will be its number; otherwise it will smell like, look like and most of all “feel” like old 2015.

     Every 13 minutes in our country someone feeling life is too painfully sad will take their own life! While homicides have fallen by half since 1991, suicide is now the second leading killer for those ages 15-34. To ask why this is the case is politically impolite or incorrect for taxes must be cut, not increased. “Cut back on spending” is the righteous battle cry of the conservative right…and the reason we have closed or curtailed local treatment for the mentally ill. Depressed people, instead of finding treatment in a local mental facility, find themselves in homeless shelters, jails or pondering suicide.

     The fellow citizens suffering depression we walk pass on the street, shop among or work with don’t wear signs signaling their unhappy dejected condition. They are prisoners of a most horrifying penitentiary—one with no exits! A human being can survive almost anything as long as she or he can see the end of it in sight, and insidiously depression makes its victims feel there is no escape, except death. The author Eugene O’Neill spoke for a large majority of us when asked to write about happiness replied, “I will write about it if I ever happen to meet up with that luxury.” To wish “Happy New Year” is wishing an unattainable luxury to those seriously depressed, angry with another, aching with a broken heart, in a bitter divorce or unemployed.

     “Happy New Year” is like “Thank you for your service” spoken to soldiers in uniform in public gatherings or airports. Military personnel report when they hear that it sounds like a platitude, a hollow expression. The active military, who are only 0.5% of the population, report they feel civilians regard them as guard dogs, a necessary evil. They also feel whenever civilians thank them for their service that unspoken is “I’m glad you serve, so I don’t have to…or my kids won’t have to.”

     Expressions of gratitude or wishes for a happy new year must flow from your heart and not just your lips. As children we learned from fairy tales that wishes are very powerful, so look before you wish. Look to see beneath as best you can whoever is standing before you, or use your imagination for each person has a story. It may be one of heart wrenching sadness, of fear, loneliness or exclusion because of their sexuality or physical appearance. It may be one of family discord, broken relationships or a seemingly unattainable bright future. Then inhale, filling your greeting with soul and love, and whatever you intuit will bring happiness to that person.

     Think un-American, since an old fashioned USA dogma is happiness and contentment come to those who work hard, have the right attitude and strive for self-improvement. This conviction undergirded a recent Republican politician’s solution to poverty which wasn’t new jobs with equality of wages. His proposal was sending poor people to happiness courses to improve their attitudes!

                                 Three questions for your meditation

     1. Do you think you need to attend a happiness course to improve your attitude?

     2. Can anyone wish another what they themselves do not possess?

     3. Does expressing a wish fulfilling “Happy New Year” have more potency when you are a happy and contented person in solidarity with the employed, the less fortunate, and depressed?
Dan S.
1/1/2016 10:19:09 am

Dear Ed,

In regards to traditions I was a bit reluctant to be the “first footing” for you on this Hogmanay. Being a blond haired first guest in the new year is not the ideal desire for true Celts who would prefer to not have a visit from someone with Viking traits. But hopefully I come bearing a gift of wishes for a “joyful new year”. I say joyful because happiness is fleeting. It is all fine and good to desire happiness as long as we realize it doesn’t last and is a fleeting thing. Plus it requires us to depend on outside forces for that temporary joy, while the true joy comes from what is already inside us. If we truly want to share our internal joy then the more appropriate wish would be for a joyful new year.

Even the wish of “Happy New Year” is fleeting because when the letters are capitalized that means you are only wishes them a happy day, not year, for the holiday itself.

Now I am going to reflect on your three questions and hopefully and joyfully get back to you.’

Joyous new year Ed and friends of Ed.

- Dan S.

Dan S.
1/4/2016 11:19:46 pm

Dear Ed,

You asked us to meditate on the questions and as usual you have given us much food for thought. When you mentioned the happiness course I could not help but wonder just who might be that would be teaching it. It has always been my belief that happiness is a very personal feeling and someone else cannot impose that which makes them happy upon someone else (though many try). When I was very young, I thought of myself as being a very happy child until someone came along and told me I wasn’t. It would happen again in my adolescent years, as if I was not confused enough. At some point between adolescence and adulthood I determined to set my own course and not someone else’s. As a result I continue to believe I am a pretty happy person. But there are still those who come along and tell me I am not. Bottom line, I don’t think a course in happiness is a very good idea. Attitude is not driven by happiness anyway. Perhaps it works the other way around with attitude contributing to happiness.

It is all well and good that we humans wish each other a happy new year and/or Happy New Year (Day), as long as we do not try to define what happiness is for someone else. It is good to be positive and happiness is a positive wish. Plus when wishing someone happiness I never consider the potency of my wish as much as I do sincerity. And I feel I am being sincere. The most sincere wish for a happy new year when put in words might be, “May you find joy in your pursuit of happiness.” Happiness in and of itself is fleeting and depends too much on the external. However the pursuit of happiness depends on the internal and depends very much on the joyful makeup of the internal.

My thoughts back at you and thank you for stimulating them. - Dan

CYNTHIA
1/12/2016 03:26:49 pm

1. I am not aware of anyone qualified to teach a happiness course, though many are certainly offered.
2. Anyone can wish anything.
Thankfully.
3. Happy New Year is grammatically an incomplete sentence. Maybe the missing pieces answer that question...or the part about expressing a wish...after all, "a dream is a wish your heart makes...when your fast asleep"

cynthia
1/12/2016 03:29:00 pm

Edward Hays,
I wish you Blessings and Peace upon your heart with every day.


Comments are closed.


    Edward Hays


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