Happiness in the Moment: A Lesson from Poetry

So today I had a pretty powerful realization. It happened while I was reading from my favorite poet, Wislawa Szymborska in her book Poems, New and Collected. The poem is called Nothing Twice. I will share it in full.

"Nothing can ever happen twice.
In consequence, the sorry fact is that we arrive here improvised
and leave without the chance to practice.

Even if there is no one dumber,
if you're the planet's biggest dunce,
you can't repeat the class in summer;
this course is only offered once.

No day copies yesterday,
no two nights will teach what bliss is
in precisely the same way, with exactly the same kisses.

One day, perhaps, some idle tongue
mentions your name by accident;
I feel as if a rose were flung
into the room, all hue and scent.

The next day, though you're here with me,
I can't help looking at the clock:
A rose? A rose? What could that be?
Is it a flower or a rock?

Why do we treat the fleeting day
with so much needless fear and sorrow?
It's in its nature not to stay:
Today is always gone tomorrow.

With smiles and kisses, we prefer
to seek accord beneath our star,
although we're different (we concur)
just as two drops of water are."

The beauty of this poem touched me, but what really got to me was the truth of it. The sheer beauty of truth is so amazing, especially when captured in such beautiful words.

The fact is sometimes we all feel unprepared and overwhelmed. We are not happy with our spouses, our own actions, with so many things. We look for the differences. We find something good one moment and bad the next. Each day is different. Each experience has its own beauty or sorrow.

The lesson I got from this poem, the metaphorical 2x4 between the eyes, was not to expect one experience to be better than another. If I can try to take each separate thing as it comes and appreciate it for what it is, I think I can be happier. I think I can grab that happiness and hold onto it.

As always, I remind you that your happiness affects more than your state of mind. It has a positive effect on your body as well!!

Be happy by accepting things as they are. Leave the idle comparisons to the side.

Wishing you joy on your journey and support from friends, loved ones and your Acupuncturist should you need it!!

Gratefully,
Tina Laue, L.Ac.
www.goodneedles.com