Week #416 – A Year Without Happyness (Reflections at the Eight Year Mark)
Greetings Happyness Tribe — and Welcome to Week #416!
Eight years. EIGHT YEARS. How is your Happyness?
You may or may not have noticed, but I took the past year off from weekly blogging. Seven years, a pandemic, and culture of seemingly non-stop negativity and division made Happyness feel like rolling a rock up hill.
Because as I said in my last post, Happyness isn’t easy. So I got quiet and wondered…what would happen if I stopped? Would anyone notice? Would anyone care? Would anyone miss it?
You know what? I don’t know about you — but I missed it!
Because in this past year so much has happened (good and bad)…but the things I learned early in my grief (and in the years since) have permanently shaped how I approach every day, even when I’m not blogging about it!
I still try to remember to smile, wave big and say hello like you mean it even when I’m angry, or sad, or struggling. I do this because I know it makes a difference to the person on the receiving end.
I try to remember to reach out, to lend a hand, to mentor or encourage someone even when my life feels like it’s getting the better of me. I do this because I know what it feels like to be alone in my worry, or my striving, or my dreams.
I try to plan ahead, set goals, and try something new even when my heart is broken, or I’m scared or anxious. I do this because I know that life is SO worth living — and there is no time to waste.
Eight years now and 416 weeks later, I know that to some people Happyness seems silly, or simple, or (worse) maybe even “toxic.” I’m here to tell you it’s none of those things! It’s loving, and healing, and SO NECESSARY!
Our world is a broken, scary, and lonely place — now more than ever. It gets to me too! And while there is so much to do on a global scale — the immediate impact we can have on each other is simple, one-on-one Happyness.
My Story
Eight years ago I started Spread Happyness — just three days after my brother took his last, labored breath in a small, quiet hospital room in New York City. When I launched this page this is what I wrote:
SpreadHappyness.com was created in honor of my beloved brother and best friend, Robert Church Jr., who died on Friday, September 5th after a short battle with cancer. He was 40 years old.
It is my wish to identify and carry forward (through weekly blogposts/challenges) the torch of Rob’s legacy — which I believe was his natural ability to spread happiness to anyone who was lucky enough to cross his path. If you knew Rob, you already know this to be true. And I bet you have a story all your own about something Rob said or did — maybe even 20 years ago — that continues to make you happy today! I want to hear those stories!!!
If you didn’t get to meet Rob, let me introduce you. I pledge to deliver a little dose of him to you every Friday morning (at least) via this blog. Because cancer is not the only thing that can spread. Happiness can take on a life of it’s own too! It will be up to us to carry his light forward by sharing our stories, living his lessons, and spreading happiness to those who are now lucky enough to cross our paths!
With great love and affection for you all…
Grace (aka “Rob’s sister!”)
I’ll be honest with you, after eight years I’m not sure where this is all headed — but I know I’ll let Happyness lead the way! 🙂
Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Welcome to Spread Happyness!!! Spread Happyness is not about being Happy. It’s about “Spreading” Happyness by making choices that uplift and elevate others…not tear them down. When you feel the world getting to you this week — or better yet, when you see it getting to someone else — roll up your sleeves and get to work. There is Happyness to Spread!!!
To life! To love!! To Happyness!!!
Spread Happyness — please share your thoughts in the comments!
9/02/22 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com