One warm, sunny, snow-less afternoon earlier this month, I took my DSLR camera and walked to a street near our home. This street is not more than 200 m long and has no exit. Less than 20 houses front on the street.
I went with the intention of observing small details and capturing their images with my camera. I noticed a picket gate with peeling white paint, leading into an expansive rear yard otherwise hidden behind hedges. I noticed glossy-leafed, dark green ivy growing on a retaining wall constructed with used railroad ties.
My eyes were drawn to the house with the dramatic, claret-coloured front door.
I utilized the camera’s ability to frame and selectively focus to capture an intriguing image of silver-grey, dried seed pods of lilies.
My eyes (and my camera) would not have captured these images had I not made it my intention to slow down and observe. The objective was not to travel from point A to point B as quickly as possible, but to pay attention. Even then, I did not notice some details—like the seed pods—until my third or fourth trip the length of the street.
My little photographic expedition is an example of the practice of mindfulness—slowing down to pay attention (and respond to) one’s internal and external environment. And, as it turns out, research tells us over and over again that it’s this kind of living in the moment that results in genuine, sustained happiness. Happiness is in the small things: Not in the big, shiny objects that we chase (a new job, a new car, or a new significant other) saying, “When (blank) happens, I’ll finally be happy.” Travis Bradberry (author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0) writes, “The mistaken notion that major life events dictate your happiness and sadness is so prevalent that psychologists have a name for it: impact bias. The reality is, event-based happiness is fleeting.”
The aspects of things that are most important to us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Bradberry also says, “Happiness that lasts is earned through your habits”: A habit such as inserting one or two pauses into your day’s busy schedule where you routinely step away from your work. When I was serving as executive director of IJM Canada, I maintained a habit of leaving the office mid-afternoon to cross the street and buy a cup of coffee, even though coffee was freely available in the office kitchen. Those few minutes of fresh air and freedom from the tasks at hand always made me happy, and gave me energy to finish the day well. Likewise, people who want to be happy make a habit of exercise, because they know the correlation between routine physical activity and mood.
Too often we skim life the same way we skim words in a book. Happiness means living with eyes wide open to see the small touches of beauty scattered around us—a claret-coloured front door, a garden gate with peeling white paint—and the people whose day we can enliven with our recognition. Last week, I was busy clearing snow and ice from our driveway when our letter-carrier came down the street. I stopped and engaged him in conversation for two minutes, and watched his face shine with joy at the opportunity to reflect on the day with me. It was as if he was giving thanks for being recognized as a human being.
Happiness is contagious. When we slow down and keep our eyes open, we’ll discover many opportunities to share kind words and make kind gestures, and in so doing change the environment around us—not to mention our own heart.
All text and photos © 2020 Ed Wilson
