Happiness is a Bird

Happiness, or being happy, is a lofty goal in life. We wish for happiness, we wish it for our beloved family and friends on their birthdays, and when we find ourselves in an emotional low, we often cry out with a subtle hint of self-pity: “I just want to be happy!” Is that too much to ask for?

But one thing we must keep in mind: Happiness is not a constant state, and certainly not something we should demand every day. Happiness is a bird. It drifts in the wind, hops from branch to branch, sometimes here, sometimes there, and every now and then, it comes very close. Usually, this happens when you sit still, not paying attention, and find peace. But if you try to reach for it, even if it’s just a soft touch on its delicate feathers, it will quickly fly away, sometimes even scolding you a little. Because happiness belongs to no one. Happiness visits, it looks through your window, unexpected and unplanned. It builds a nest in the roof of your house and drops bits of nesting material all around—let alone other materials. Sometimes you can’t even see happiness, and yet it’s there. Like a bird, hidden in your garden, singing from the tree, and sometimes it even accompanies you, watching from the rooftops.

My brushstroke of life:

Spend a day observing all the birds that accompany you on your path. Listen to their songs, enjoy their presence, watch what they do, and how close they come—and then let them fly again, naturally. And when you’ve done all that, remember this:

Happiness is a bird. You might not always see it, and sometimes it might fly away from you, but you can trust that it will return.