Happiness

On a stinging winter's night drive I was struck by the lyrics of The Fray's "Happiness".
     Happiness is just outside my window
Would it crash blowing 80-miles an hour?
Or is happiness a little more like knocking
On your door, and you just let it in?
     Happiness feels a lot like sorrow
Let it be, you can’t make it come or go
But you are gone- not for good but for now
Gone for now feels a lot like gone for good
     Happiness is a firecracker sitting on my headboard
Happiness was never mine to hold
Careful child, light the fuse and get away
‘Cause happiness throws a shower of sparks
     Happiness damn near destroys you
Breaks your faith to pieces on the floor
So you tell yourself, that’s probably enough for now
Happiness has a violent roar
     Happiness is like the old man told me
Look for it, but you’ll never find it all
But let it go, live your life and leave it
Then one day, wake up and she’ll be home
Home, home, home
As I considered the lyrics I recognized a new depth and understanding expressed by foreman Isaac Slade.
Within the length of the song, I had a string of musings.  Putting fleeting impressions to words is difficult, but I will take you through to my conclusion.

I flew back to a warm summer's night,

The first time this song struck me

Isaac's ethereal moans

Yeaahh aaa mmmmm.

Between verses as he delivered "Happiness"

To start and end the show.

He sang:

Happiness feels a lot like sorrow

Both so all-consuming. 

Happiness is a firecracker sitting on my headboard

A fleeting moment in the scheme of time.

I'm becoming a  believer in joy.  Something lasting, thriving, and ever present even in the uhappiest of times- a hope that's always with me.

Someone once said:

"Joy is a heart full and a mind purified by gratitude."

And how much I have to be grateful for!

No, I cannot say that this moment is happy.

But that is what it is,  a moment.

I have reasons for joy, and I have a feeling that as I lose myself  in my reasons for gratitude...

As for my happiness...

...let it go, live your life and leave it

Then one day, wake up, she'll be home
Home, home, home

I hummed

Yeaahh aaa mmmmm
I have many more warm summer nights to come.