I was there last night

versus contentment.

let me start by writing that this is something i’ve debated on with friends for years. and this ramble probably only makes sense to those understanding few.

if life is a series of peaks and troughs then happiness is the emotion at the top. hard to reach, least amount of surface area, and therefore somewhat fleeting. the bulk of time is spent trying to reach it and then descending from it.

versus contentment, which could be a long-standing state of being.
but being content, it’s like settling on an emotion.

dictionary.com defines the noun as:
the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.

satisfaction? like, oh, everything is great, things are ok, life is good… i’m content…like the feeling after thanksgiving turkey. relatively easy to achieve with the right perspective.

but happiness, that’s like the first bite of godiva chocolate souffle from morton’s steak house… sweet, smooth, and gone too fast.

well tonight, i felt an epiphany: i’m happy. i’m in a state of happiness.

maybe life is a series of peaks and troughs, or maybe it’s a series of peaks that just plateau every now and then to give you time to enjoy the view.

~ janetti
happy @ home in san francisco