One of my greatest pleasures in life is arriving at my second home in Jacarilla Spain on a warm evening and walking through the village. We sit outside a bar which overlooks the mountains with a glass of wine and a bowl of olives watching the sunset.
A friend and I were discussing the oft-used adage 'live every day as if it's your last' something most of us pay lip service to but in reality are far too busy and stressed out to achieve. My friend recently said to her husband 'how long do you reckon we've got left?' (She's utterly hilarious and only 59 by the way!) And, she tells me, is determined to live disgracefully from here on in. Of course by that she means having fun, there is a saying which goes: 'Do something everyday that makes you scared.' I would counter that with 'Do something everyday that makes someone happy!'
My lovely friend and I worked together in special needs education (where she still works) and amidst all the protocol and daily needs of the children, we never lost sight of the most important thing.......fun. For many of the children achieving targets and having their boxes 'ticked' was in no way as important as being made to laugh. We all love a good laugh, humour is infectious and more contagious than any cough, sniffle or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humour and laughter strengthen the immune system, boost energy and diminish pain. Fun and laughter (sadly underestimated in the world of red tape and meeting targets) should be compulsory in schools!
Achieving life is not the equivalent of avoiding death. As Einstein said: 'There are only two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.'
I guess because everything is pared back in my Spanish life, less materialism, less technology, less rushing from pillar to post, with the emphasis on outdoor living and a mañana philosophy, I can step off of the human hamster wheel and appreciate the little things. We don't all have the luxury of a bolt hole, however, we all have the capacity to inject a little fun into our lives.
Sadly as Gurdjieff quoted: 'A man will renounce any pleasures you like but he will not give up his suffering.' I've encountered many people in life who seem to get a kick out of being miserable and making others feel miserable. I knew a woman whose husband was remiss when it came to remembering her birthday, she had the option of dropping hints, or as I would do, give him a couple of weeks notice and a shopping list. But no, every year without fail she would spend her birthday bemoaning the fact that he'd forgotten her birthday, hating the rushed, last minute present this poor bloke went and bought and generally turning the whole thing into an unnecessary, miserable affair.
And so I'll leave you in my excited, happy frame of mind, by the time you read this post I'll be en-route to Spain.........I shall gather lots of lovely material whilst I'm there but will probably take a break from posting. I'll catch up with you all soon, until then, be happy!
'You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening
And live like it's heaven on earth.'
- William W
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