… but our happiness is right here

The video’s title caught my attention: “Simpler Times”. Ah, yes… most of us think wistfully about a simpler life. After all, just think about how much easier would it be if…

So, I click on the video eagerly anticipating some epiphany that will give me a piece of the secret for “the simple life”… something that will help me make that romantic vision in my head a reality.  Then I see a very ordinary couple, the Thompsons of South Carolina, sit down beside each other on a couch - as if that is the only way you sit on a couch - and give us a peek at their lives.

Watch it here: Simpler Times  (via Ode blog and an interesting documentary called TheRecessEnds)

As I watch, two things jump out at me about their very ordinary and simple life… patience and work.

Patience with each other – How many times have they fought and made up? How many times have they sat and waited for the other to come home late?

Patience with their world – Hours hovering over gardens to plant seeds, weed and harvest, stuff jars, sweat over a pressure cooker. I look for the shortcut or just buy it.

Building life is hard work - Busy days filled by doing menial tasks that the rest of us just “run to the store” or “grab some takeout” to fulfill on the cheap. They aren’t in a hurry. They take the time to do the work because that is just part of life, part of slowly building the happiness that defines them. They have no doubt mellowed over the years to realize that life doesn’t need to hurry.

Being content is hard work - I would guess they have had points in their lives when they were tempted to take the easy route and perhaps they did for a season. But they tell me that life is about far more… it is about doing the work and being content with the life you are creating.

And then, the video comes to an end with the most profound statement muttered almost in passing… a statement that IS that epiphany… a statement that defines “simple life”…

“… but our happiness is right here.”

Contentment. No deep discussion about the steps they took to get here, no tips or tricks on how we can shortcut the system, no reminiscing the cool “things” they gave up to live like this, not even any mention about their attempt to live a “different life” while the rest of societybuzzed around them… just simply “this is our happiness”.

After the film crew left their house; they probably shrugged, looked at each other with a “whatever that was all about” look, and went about their day… .

May I fill my life with patience and love experienced through hard work and contentment… and in so doing discover happiness is right here.

Where is your happiness?