Happiness Is Writing Your Own Story
Greetings friends,
Happiness is writing your own story.
Snoopy says so.
This quote struck a resounding chord within me. I first saw it on some Peanuts framed art in a Hallmark store. Luckily, my beloved mother saw fit to get the artwork for me as a gift. I believe that there are many different things to take from this quote. Since I am a writer I of course think of writing as an outlet for emotions, including but not limited to happiness. It is one of my favorite things to do and coming up with stories is often therapeutic for me. In the past I think it may have been a way to escape the realms of reality but now it has become a way to supplement my emotions and keep my imagination vivid. Another aspect of the quote is that only you can write, or at least only you should write your own story. If someone else tries to grab the pen from you as you are trying to write your own story then take it from them and stab them with it (figuratively of course). Sometimes this is required in order to move past something and be able to start your own story. The good news is that with their blood you should be able to keep writing for a while. No one else should be trying to write your story for you.
One of my favorite bands Phantasma has a song called Incomplete. The lyrics are as follows:
When I was a young girl
My father said to me
Life is nothing like a grand symphony
It’s like when you know this one line
Sing it, and repeat
But you don’t recall the rest of the song
It’s incomplete
You can spend your whole life
Trying to recall
Or enjoy the sound you’ve known
Oh the words and the melodies
Don’t they taste sweet
Why would you go and chase bigger dreams?
When I was a young boy
My father said to me
Life is nothing like a grand symphony
It’s like when you know this one line
Sing it and repeat
But you don’t recall the rest of the song
It’s incomplete
You can spend your whole life
Trying to break free
Or enjoy the home I’ve made
Oh our balance it can be disturbed so easily
Why would you go and chase bigger dreams
When I was a young girl
My father said to me
Life is nothing like a grand symphony
It’s like when you know this one line
Sing it and repeat
But you don’t recall the rest of the song
It’s incomplete
My take from the song is that life isn’t this structured composed thing. It can be erratic at times. Sometimes life is a happy song and sometimes life is a sad song. The point is that the song of this fleeting life is incomplete until the time we die. Throughout that life there are words and melodies that are ever so sweet and there are words and melodies that give us cause to weep. I believe the part of the above song asking why would you go and chase bigger dreams is a warning to us not to get so wrapped up in things that we forget to listen for the beautiful words and melodies that life composes for us. The part about spending your whole life trying to recall is a warning to us not to get wrapped up in things having to be perfect all the time.
What are you waiting for? Go out there and write yourself a beautiful story. Live a song that even though it may incomplete, is still beautiful. You deserve it.
Thank you,
Jake Jeffries
P.S. I am looking into maybe releasing some books into the wild via bookcrossing. Including and probably mostly my own. Be on the lookout!
