Happiness

What is happines? Where does it come from, and where does it go? Why do some seem to have it in such plentiful amounts, and others struggle to hold on to it, and yet others lose the connection with it for years?

I suppose most people have asked themselves, in one way or another, such questions once in a while.  And even more so nowadays, when we live in a world full of self help books that supposedly will guide you in an eye blink to happiness . A world where being happy, even if it’s just false appearance, is the norm. A world where we sadly compare our lives with that of others on social media, in search of our own happiness, and at the same time trying to feel ourselves better than the rest.

Happiness. It’s such a charged word nowadays. We might have forgotten the essence of happiness, just like we’ve forgotten the essence of love, and beauty, and all other fundamental things in life. I have decided that the word happiness is, although with a beautiful intrinsic meaning, not my word anymore.

My word is being. Being? Yes, right, being.  24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of our lives, it is expected of us to be something, and to be it in the best possible way. It is expected that we are perfect children, perfect adolescents, perfect friends, perfect partners, perfect parents. It is expected that we excel in our studies, careers and on social level. When someone is asked who he or she is, the answer will include the name, and a long list of attributes, like, I’m a mom, I’m a director here, I’m a scientist there, I’m the daughter of this person, I’m the owner of that...and so on. And ok, it’s alright to know what your place in the social world is, but, do you know who you are? What makes up your essence? Well, to me, it is your being. And by being completely you, that is, by the most simple and (at the same time) complex act of being, you can find what we call happiness.

But being completely you, that’s a damn scary thing.  We tend to change ourselves in order to blend in into society (we’re social animals after all) but somewhere down the road we lose ourselves, stop simply being the person you truly are, and start acting an apparently perfect play for the outer world.

In any case, being completely oneself is hard, and even more so in places where your physical or mental wellbeing is put into peril if you express your true self. But if you want to have a try at being happy, at being you, maybe some of the following ideas might help:

·         Recognize and appreciate the small things in life. Wasn’t that a beautiful sunset you’ve just missed because you were stuck to your smartphone? Didn’t a loved one just remind you how much he or she loves you? So often we encounter small gifts in life, but as we are so spoiled, we don’t even see them, and eternally wait for something bigger, better  and more beautiful to come, without realizing that it is all happening now.

·         Which leads us to the next idea: live in the now! Ok, how cliché.  And how true! We keep ourselves busy with thousands of tasks, thoughts, and other mess, so much that we avoid living in the moment.  I think it’s because we fear the brilliance and greatness of living in the moment, as it can be a very powerful experience. On the other side, we are so addicted to distraction (just watch how many people are inseparable from their electronic devices nowadays) and drama about the past and future, that we prefer to just ignore the now and munch on the binge diet of unhappiness.

·         Gratitude. That’s a biiiig word, and has a very high happiness factor. Being grateful for something is, in short, accepting and feeling grateful about something ordinary in our lives, in such a way that it becomes extraordinary. That something can vary from a smile from a stranger to a loving hug of your partner, from eating homemade cookies (made by mum), to doing that what you love most. It doesn’t matter what you appreciate, as long as you appreciate it! There are so much beautiful things in life, and much of it we never fully appreciate it until the moment it isn't there anymore.

In any case, lots more things can contribute to a sense of wellbeing. Being in nature, spending time on (constructive) social relationships, feeling safe and protected... We must not forget that satisfying our most basic needs also contribute to the level of happiness one experiences. Nor must we forget that happiness is essentially something you can find in your interior, and thus no matter how much temporal satisfaction you feel by obtaining material goods, the only true happiness is that which emanates from your being.  

So, after a good hour of being in my element, enjoying myself whilst writing and listening to classical music, I can say that, writing about happiness is good reminder for myself, as lately I’ve felt unable to connect with that great feeling that tells me that I am satisfying all my needs and simply being me.  To be honest, I could just go on and on writing, but as I’m not planning to write a book about happiness, I’d better stop writing ;)

Anyway, there is no foolproof road to happiness. It’s often a difficult, unclear and strange journey, and surely a journey without end, as you will never stop learning how to live life plentifully. It's a journey that will lead you to extraordinary places. Moreover, it’s a personal journey, as I think everybody has to find out for him or herself what happiness is, where it lies, and how to make it a part of yourself. 

Losing an animal friend

Today I’m going to write about something that might not be so cheerful, but is certainly a part of life; death.

To be more specific; the death of my best furry friend, my dog. Some people will say it was just a dog, that grieving over a dog is not comparable to grieving human death. But he was part of the family, for over 8 years, and his death was too early and too sudden.

The most difficult part of losing a living being, who was such a big part of my life, is that he will never come back. I can adopt a thousand dogs, and no one will ever be like him. There isn’t a single dog in the world who has the same beautiful eyes, the incredible capacity to be the best of friends. No one will ever make the same happy barking sounds again when I come home, nor sit by my side in difficult times.

He was the best of friends, a loyal companion, a living being who gave so much joy, laughter, love and peace.

Never shall I say that an animal is not capable of loving, of caring, of being an emotional and intelligent being. Having lived so many years by his side has taught me how amazing it can be to love another living being unconditionally.

Never again. Never again will he sit on my feet while I study, never again will I be able to embrace him while sitting in the sun. Never again can I laugh about his pranks and intelligence. All the never again’s, all the small things, all the thousands of memories…Like a mantra it keeps going on in my head.

It leaves me behind in sadness, with an emptiness so big you can’t believe it’s possible for 17 kilos of fur and intelligent eyes and limitless energy to leave such a void.

Never again is a long time. It’s too long. It’s too difficult to imagine. But that’s how things are, that’s the way life is. That’s the risk of loving another living being with all your heart.

But you know what? I would do it all over again. I would love another dog just as much, care for it just like I cared for him, because there are many, many dogs out there that deserve to live happily and in safety. Even though it means that eventually I will lose them.

All I can say to lighten up is that we gave him the best possible life. Full of freedom, love, care. And he lived healthy until his last hour.

I want to add some quotes, to celebrate the endless love, joy and peace other living beings can bring into our lives.

"Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, Filling an emptiness we don't even know we have."

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."

“Grief is so painfully real, regardless of its origin. The love of, and attachment to, an animal friend can equal that of human relationships. Likewise, the loss of an animal can be just as devastating.”

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.”

The greatest lesson I have learnt from this? Live as if someone left the gate open!! :)

I will... / voy a..

The following text is a text I wrote some time ago. I wanted to write about globalization, but somehow I went off theme. It isn’t very coherent, nor did I express what I wanted to say about globalization. Maybe that’s because in my mind so many things are interconnected; globalization, environmental problems, human dissatisfaction with life… nevertheless, I would like to put this text here. Thank you.

Globality. What does it really mean? Maybe thanks to globality life of many people has already changed for better quite a lot. I’m only 20, so I haven’t seen much change yet regarding that in my life. But to me, globality hasn’t done all the good it was expected to do. To me, it doesn’t immediately guarantee happiness, safety, love, health, prosperity… we’re now a global species, in a globalized society, but nevertheless still miles apart even from ourselves, not to mention others.

How globally connected are we really? Religiously, politically, economically. Only slightly, and it’s mainly the economy which connects the world. Because there are too many differences between people in terms of culture and beliefs. And how globally connected are we as individual humans, as who we truly are? Barely (here putting emphasis on Who we Truly Are). Maybe globalization has helped us to achieve prosperity in a certain measure, but I can’t help thinking about the thousands of millions of people who still don’t see the beauty in life, who don’t receive love, who have to battle each day for their and their families survival… we, as a species, are still too far away from happiness, love and peace. Things that seem to me as the utmost, fundamental right of humanity. Things I will dedicate myself to give, to everyone, always, as much as they deserve. I myself have received the gifts of peace, love and happiness, and now, now it is time to pass it on to others.

I will give love, for everyone deserves it
I will listen, for man needs a listening and patient ear
I will be patient, respectful, a friend, a companion.
I will embrace others and do my very best to see people as who they truly are
I will help, for help is always welcome and no one should be alone
I will be grateful, for live has granted me many beautiful gifts.
I will try to be true of mind and soul, and always let my inner self guide me through life.
I will be a little stone in the river. Little, but nonetheless I will change for better many things.

Not until my work is done will I leave. Whilst there are still souls to awaken, people to cheer up, love to give, ones in need of a helping hand, I will be here.

English: everything that can be changed will be changed until there is no more time to change anything. wake up, respect, value, care for, help, love and be happy.

El siguiente texto es un texto que escribí hace tiempo.  Quería escribir sobre la globalización, pero de alguna manera me despiste del tema. El texto no es muy coherente, ni expresa lo que quería expresar sobre la globalización. Tal vez es porque en mi mente tantas cosas están interconectadas; la globalización, los problemas ambientales, la insatisfacción humana con la vida... sin embargo, me gustaría poner este texto aquí. Gracias.

La globalidad. ¿Qué significa eso realmente? Tal vez gracias a la globalidad la vida de muchas personas ya ha cambiado para bien en muchos casos. Sólo tengo 20, así que no he visto mucho cambio hasta ahora en mi vida. Pero para mí, la globalidad parece que no ha hecho todo el bien que se esperaba que hiciera. Para mí, no garantiza la felicidad inmediata, la seguridad, el amor, la salud, la prosperidad... ahora somos una especie a nivel mundial, en una sociedad globalizada, pero sin embargo a kilómetros de distancia incluso de nosotros mismos, para no mencionar otros.

¿Cómo de conectado globalmente realmente somos? Religiosamente, políticamente, económicamente?  Sólo un poco, y es sobre todo la economía la que conecta el mundo. Debido a que hay demasiadas diferencias entre las personas en términos de cultura y creencias. ¿Y cómo de conectados estamos como seres humanos individuales, como quiénes somos en realidad? Apenas (en este caso quiero poner énfasis en Quien Somos de Verdad). Tal vez la globalización nos ha ayudado a alcanzar la prosperidad en cierta medida, pero no puedo dejar de pensar en los miles de millones de personas que todavía no ven la belleza de la vida, que no reciben amor, que tienen que luchar día tras día por su supervivencia y la de su familia... nosotros, como especie, son todavía demasiado lejos de la felicidad, el amor y la paz.  Cosas que me parecen como el mayor y más fundamental derecho de la humanidad. Cosas a las cuales me dedicaré a dar, a todos, siempre, tanto como se merecen. Yo mismo he recibido los regalos de la paz, el amor y la felicidad, y ahora, ahora es el momento de dárselo a otras personas.

Voy a dar amor, porque todo el mundo se lo merece
Voy a escuchar, porque las personas necesitan un oído atento y paciente
Seré paciente, respetuoso, una amiga, una compañera.
Abrazare a las personas y hare mi mejor esfuerzo para ver a la gente como quien realmente son
Voy a ayudar, porque toda la ayuda es bienvenida y nadie debería estar solo
Voy a estar agradecido por la vida, porque me ha dado muchos regalos hermosos.
Voy a tratar de ser sincera de mente y alma, y ​​siempre dejare a mi yo interior guiarme por la vida.
Voy a ser una pequeña piedra en el río. Pequeña, pero sin embargo cambiara parea mejor muchas cosas 

No hasta que mi trabajo se ha acabado me iré. Mientras que todavía hay almas para despertar, personas para alegrar, amor para dar, gente en necesidad de ayuda, voy a estar aquí.

Writing / Escribir

I think I really like writing. Ok, maybe that won’t come as a surprise to you, my dear readers, but sometimes it really does amaze me with such ease as the words come streaming out of my head, onto the computer screen, or paper. I have days that I start with 4 different texts, feeling good about them all, feeling very happy and proud to write. But then I also have many days that inspiration is far away. But that’s normal I suppose.

No, I wouldn’t call myself a writer. I have neither the capacity nor the academic background to call myself one. Even though people say I write well-written, clear texts, I am far away from creating truly beautiful texts, like the great authors of the past. Even though words spring clearly up in my mind, I lack the capacity of transmitting all the beauty and greatness I desire. I am not a true master of words.

Although I would love to ;) I have a great love for the English writers of before, between en 19th century till first half of the 20th century. Don’t ask me why, I don’t really know. I just really like their way of expression and also the stories behind their stories, the hidden, more unknown ones. Of course there are many more writers whose writings I deeply admire, and most of them from long ago, from forgotten ages. Why? Maybe because to me it seems books were still written to express true beauty and craft of writing, whilst nowadays it is just about writing a commercially good story to sell as much as possible, no longer really giving importance to the real magic of using the right words, to create beautiful texts. And also because (again it seems to me, maybe others think else) that by the passing of time, vocabulary is lost, and language turns more and more colloquial. That is a great loss to me, for human language is already so limited to express the abstract and now it becomes even simpler. That is really a pity, as many of the experiences I live aren’t actually describable with the limited words we have. Just look at the experience of love! I truthfully struggle to find words which match the joy and beauty and greatness of living such thing.

So… I really like writing. And I don’t think that will change, as writing has always been a manner of mine to express myself. It is better than talking anyway, as with writing you think a lot more than when talking haha. And to be honest, there are a lot of things to write about. Infinitely much. Doesn’t seem like I will be finished soon then! :D

Thank you my dear readers, I really enjoy it that there are people who actually read this! :) have a nice day!

Creo que realmente me gusta mucho escribir. Vale, tal vez no vendrá como una sorpresa para vosotros, mis queridos lectores, pero a veces realmente me sorprende con cuanta facilidad las palabras salen de mi cabeza, para manifestarse físicamente en la pantalla del ordenador, o en el papel. Hay días que empiezo con 4 textos diferentes, sintiéndome muy bien con todos ellos, sintiéndome muy feliz y orgulloso de escribir. Pero luego también tengo muchos días que la inspiración está muy lejos. Pero eso es normal, supongo.

No, yo no me considero una escritora. No tengo ni la capacidad ni la formación académica para poder decir que soy una. A pesar de que la gente dice que escribo bien escritos, textos claros, estoy muy lejos de la creación de textos verdaderamente hermosos, como los que los grandes autores del pasado crearon. A pesar de que las palabras aparecen con claridad en mi mente, no tengo la capacidad de transmitir toda la belleza y la grandeza que yo deseo. Yo no soy un verdadero maestra de las palabras. 

Aunque me encantaría;) tengo un gran amor por los escritores Ingleses de antes, entre el siglo 19 a la primera mitad del siglo 20. No me preguntes por qué, no lo sé. Simplemente me gusta su forma de expresión y las historias detrás de sus historias, las historias más ocultas y más desconocidas. Por supuesto que hay muchos más escritores cuyos escritos admiro profundamente, y la mayoría de ellos vivieron hace mucho tiempo, en las edades olvidadas. ¿Por qué? Tal vez porque a mí me parece que los libros de entonces fueron escritos todavía para expresar la verdadera belleza y arte de la escritura, mientras que hoy en día sólo se trata de escribir una historia comercial buena para vender el máximo posible, en realidad ya no dan importancia a la verdadera magia de la utilización de las palabras correctas, para crear hermosos textos. Y también porque (de nuevo, eso me parece, a lo mejor otros piensan otra cosa) que por el paso del tiempo, el vocabulario se ha perdido, y el lenguaje se vuelve más y más coloquial. Eso es una gran pérdida para mí, porque el lenguaje humano es ya muy limitado para expresar lo abstracto y ahora se vuelve aún más simple. Eso es realmente una lástima, ya que muchas de las experiencias que vivimos en realidad no son descriptibles con las palabras limitado que tenemos. Basta con mirar a la experiencia del amor! Yo sinceramente me estoy esforzando para encontrar las palabras que coinciden con la alegría y la belleza y la grandeza al vivir tal cosa. 

Así que ... me gusta mucho escribir. Y no creo que eso va a cambiar, como la escritura ha sido siempre una manera mía de expresarme. Es mejor que hablar de todos modos, como que con la escritura hay que pensar mucho más que cuando se habla jaja. Y para ser honesta, hay un montón de cosas para escribir. Infinitamente más. No parece que voy a acabar pronto con escribir! :D

Gracias mis queridos lectores, realmente lo disfruto que hay gente que realmente lea esto! :) que tengáis un buen día!