Saturday 21 March 2015

Saturday Evenings: Stay In, Sit Up and Switch On

So, madam, sir, how happy were you yesterday? You read that right, Friday 20th March, how happy were you yesterday? I am not being nosy but apparently the United Nations branded the penultimate Friday of March the International Day of Happiness.

Woman in wheelchair on beach
Happy now?

I have no idea how this celebration came about but I have the sneaky suspicion that there is someone at this august organisation with too much time on their hands. I mean, what are you supposed to do on the International Day of Happiness? Laugh on your own at the bus stop? Make faces out of your kitchen window at passers-by? Knock on doors and leg it after? (actually I quite fancy doing that again. It brings back childhood memories).

Since this is my last column before my customary Easter break I’ll leave the space below for you to answer this question: what makes you happy and do we need a day to celebrate happiness? My own reply? Give me a chocolate Jesus anytime and you will immediately see a smile on my face.

See you in a month’s time.


38 comments:

  1. Have a wonderful break.
    Lots of things make me happy. Little things often (small things for small minds?).
    I am not certain about the need for International Happiness Day, but do love another day in November. World Kindness Day. There certainly isn't enough of that - and it would give happiness a boost as well.

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  2. What makes me happy? Being out in nature, good music, good food, food friends, good books, good films, good beer. Chocolate. Bird song. The solar eclipse....

    Have a very happy easter!

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  3. Vivir lo bueno que nos ofrece cada día y saberlo encontrar.
    Que tengas unas feliz Pascua con un buen descanso y chocolate.

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  4. I love chocolate too and it can make me 'quite happy'
    But just sitting in the sunshine is right at the top of my 'being happy' things ..

    Have a great break .,,be well and be happy
    Smiles and warm wishes from beautiful Colorado ...

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  5. Don't need a day. One day does nothing for anything. But happy I can be rhyming away at my sea. Have a good break.

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  6. Since you read my blog yesterday, you already know what I think about happiness, but as for having an international day set aside for it? Bhutan, the only country in the world that measures Gross National Happiness in lieu of Gross National Product, is responsible for introducing the initiative at the U.N. The idea is that the happiness and well-being of every human being is relevant, and should be recognized as a universal goal. As for me, I'm grateful and happy to be alive.

    Have wonderful break. ("Don't worry; be happy!")

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  7. Well, Joe will be in the Twin Cities in April, CiL. Feel free to camp out at my place if you plan on coming around for the concert.

    My hackles rise when the subject of the United Nations is mentioned. My opinion is that the organization should be using much more of the billions it spends each year for running actual peace-keeping operations around the world and less money on having its delegations living the good life partying and "being happy" in the "Big Apple." That would make me happy.

    I hope your Easter break will be enjoyable and inspirational, CiL.

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  8. Enjoy your break. It snowed here in Montreal today, so Spring hasn't quite sprung here yet. :)

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  9. Have a wonderful break.. see you on the spring side.

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  10. What makes me happy? The look on my grandson's face when I try to be affectionate - he's too well-brought-up to be rude, but the look says, 'I'm nearly 8. Don't you kisses are yukky?' And half an hour later he'll climb on my knee and give me a hug!

    Enjoy Easter - here's hoping you get a chocolate Jesus!

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  11. I nearly choked on the corn flakes when I heard about Happiness Day. I wonder if all the poor souls suffering at the hands of militants will appreciate the idea. I'd rather give them a lifetime of happiness, not a mere day. One of the comments summed it up very nicely... there must be someone out there with little else to do but dream up such things. .

    Enjoy your break from blogging.

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  12. Many thanks for your comments. For the time being I can only see Joe on screen but the minute he comes to the UK I will be buyin my ticket. :-) As for Beth, I love her, I love her!

    Greetings from London.

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  13. Well, I don't think we need an International Day of Happiness. You cannot decree that people be happy..... The United Nations should have more important things on their mind! Sigh.

    Do have a great break. And, by the way, a friend of mine recently returned from a visit to Cuba...and really enjoyed it.

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  14. I trust you had a lovely break?

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  15. Oh, a month! See you then.

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  16. Happiness is the basis of life...
    Being at home and being surrounded with people... And writing gives me ample joy...

    Happy Easter,.. Have a good time!

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  17. I hope you thoroughly enjoy your holidays! Chocolate (obviously though good food in general), sex, good books, writing, trees (whenever I am blue going out for a walk in nature usually perks me up), my husband and daughter's laughter, cute animals, good music, snuggling, running through the sprinklers etc. Well I do think we should stop and have childish fun sometimes so why not?

    mindlovemisery

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  18. Enjoy your break! A chocolate anything is happiness for me!

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  19. ha - i got a chocolate easter bunny today...and that made me happy... a smile makes me happy... a nice word.. sunshine... i don't need an extra day... smiles
    enjoy your break

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  20. Do have a sweet beak. And thank you for contributing to my happiness, dear <3


    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^=

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  21. Happiness every day....not just one ;) What makes me happy...anything really...you have to find the joy in big and little moments during the day...especially love it when I'm surrounded by my kids...
    HAPPY break!!
    (and thanks for stopping by too....always welcome your visit!!)

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  22. Your post makes me happy as does family, friends, clear blue skies, a walk/ski in the woods, good books, writing, art and the promise of spring. Enjoy your break!

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  23. Let's see--Friday I ate lunch at Chuy's, my favorite restaurant, and spent most of the day writing. I guess it was a pretty happy day. A normal Friday! Hope you're having a great Easter break. My stepdaughter is on spring break, too--she went to Six Flags with a friend (an amusement park here).

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  24. I was pretty happy on Friday but I had no idea it was a proclaimed holiday, which is ridiculous. If i were surrounded by happiness all the time I wouldn't know what to do; it would be really weird. Huh. Anyway I really like that song you chose & now I'm gonna look them up. :)

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  25. Have a restful Easter break! Personally, I prefer the chocolate eggs but the chocolate Jesus is good too!

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  26. Enjoy your Easter break ... I love a smile, a fun reply and generally a quick laugh .. a child, a kid's remark .. happy times can be had ... just enjoy that break - cheers Hilary

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  27. Have a great Easter break...I am already looking forward to your return...:))

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  28. Un chocolate para festejar el dia de la felicidad con una sonrisa, saludos.

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  29. Chocolate always works for me! :-) Have a Happy and Blessed Easter break.

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  30. Have a great Easter break. I am already looking forward to your return and all your posts!

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  31. My daughter's smile always brings me around to a state of happiness.

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  32. Coffee, exercise, debriefing with my husband about our days, throwing knives at a target in the yard with my son, driving my daughter around to pick up job applications...all of these things make me happy. What doesn't make me happy is declaring a day dedicated to happiness. Just imbue it throughout life, I say!

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  33. Coffee, exercise, debriefing with my husband about our days, throwing knives at a target in the yard with my son, driving my daughter around to pick up job applications...all of these things make me happy. What doesn't make me happy is declaring a day dedicated to happiness. Just imbue it throughout life, I say!

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  34. Ha! Hi Cubano. I hope you have had, or are having, a lovely break! With lots of chocolate! And running and dancing and reading and thinking and music--all those things you seem to enjoy! Writing make me happy. (And sometimes unhappy!) K. (http://manicddaily.wordpress.com)

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  35. Hello greetings and good wishes.

    UN has lost its relevance and this institution is filled with people who have no idea for the existence of this mammoth institution gobbling up large funds from member countries to be wasted on frivolous activities. They don't understand the meaning of happiness otherwise they would not have declared a day for happiness.

    This happiness is for whom?

    The world is full of poor suffering people, sick people, people who have lost every thing because of natural calamities, people living in war stricken countries, terrorists killing and maiming innocent people and miserable people who are struggling to eke out an existence. UN cannot solve these problems but they can declare a day as International Day of Happiness and all the rich and powerful people will gather together and spend millions of dollars entertaining themselves. Whose money is it anyway?

    Everyday is a day of happiness for me. Many things make me happy such as sitting quietly in a place and day dreaming, walking with crisp cool wind blowing on my face, the sound of waves on the sea shore, a brilliant sun set or sunrise,enjoying tasty food, sipping a cup of tea and reading the news paper in the morning, chatting with friends, sleeping soundly after a hard day, closely watching a flower or a bird, the coconut tree bending with the breeze and many more. God has blessed me with numerous things which I don't deserve and I can understand this when I see my less fortunate brothers on the road.

    So let UN officials and their sycophants enjoy the International Day of Happiness wasting other peoples money.

    Happiness cannot be bought with money and it is a state of mind. There are days when I walked completely bored and suddenly looking up I felt it was clear sunny day and the trees on the road side looked majestic and beautiful which lifted up my spirit and made me very happy. UN has brilliant leaders and highly paid well qualified people who think that people can become happy by declaring a day as happiness day.

    UN has become redundant and meaningless.

    Best wishes

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  36. Every day should be a day of happiness, but maybe some people need to be reminded to be happy by having a special day for it....

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