I was talking with a youth parent on Friday following a 8th grade play, in which her son played a sassy (can a boy be sassy?) police officer. She said that her brother (a doctor) was telling her about a study on happiness, saying that people are the least happy in their 30s and 40s, with things starting to take a turn upward at 45, with the peak of happiness at 80. Interesting. I get how the “unhappiness” comes in in the 30s and 4os as youngish adults are coping with the stresses of work, tight budgets, family, children’s activities, lack of sleep, etc. I can see this in the people I know in their 30s and 4os at church and among my friends and family (not me, I’m still 29 and holding on strong, Russ maybe) – not that they are UNhappy, but they are often tired and overwhelmed and just busy.
It’s interesting that she and I would have this conversation on Friday because just that morning, I was doing some shopping by myself on a beautiful day followed by a lunch date with Russ and then an afternoon family outing to the local Flowertown Festival and I had thought to myself “life is good” – I was really happy for the first time in a while. I was not overwhelmed or stressed. I was not in pain. I was just enjoying all of the wonderful parts of my life. Work is great. Russ and I have weathered the storm of constant schooling and little income quite well and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I had just cleaned our house and I LOVE our house when it’s good and clean (plus I get a weird sort of high from the actual cleaning – and I use “green” cleaning products, so I’m pretty sure it’s a natural high). The kids are awesome and cute and just plain fun to be with these days.
So are things going to take a turn for the worst on June 5 when I enter the 30s? I think not. I hope not. I can only see things getting better from here on out.
We had an absolutely beautiful weekend as a family and the blessings abound. If I ever start to be unhappy – I just need to look back at this:
Friday – Flowertown Festival Family Fun
Saturday – Soccer Sensation
Sunday – Spirit Summoned Service (alright, so I’m stretching the alliteration a bit)
(a decent family photo to boot)
This is the stuff (happy) dreams are made of.
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OMG! Does her dress match her baby’ s dress?!?!?!? Where did you get that???
The caption could have been Baptism of Beautiful Baby Boy:-)
Leigh Ann, Grammy got that at Marshall’s…for much less than I could have made it for…came with matching dress!
oh…I just realized it needs to be S for Sunday;-)
I love this post. It makes me happy. Rock on with your happy life, Dorothy!
(Also, love the “I use green products, so I’m pretty sure it’s a natural high” part. I might steal that for the magazine! 🙂