61. Joy and Wonder on the Campaign Trail

Today I ordered a pair of headphones off the internet and they got to my office within two hours. I used the Amazon Prime Now app, which has near-on demand delivery for a number of items in major cities. I was a little skeptical at first, but it’s pretty amazing that earlier that morning I knew I had lost my headphones and, after seeing that Target didn’t have the kind I liked, I was able to order the exact pair I wanted and get them a short while later.

It doesn’t seem that awesome when I put it in writing, but it really is! I don’t know how often I will use the Amazon prime service because I can usually wait for most things, but it was nice to be able to listen to music again while I was working in that afternoon.

Everybody seems to be full of despair these days. I think the presidential campaign has really dragged us all down to a level that’s right below where septic tanks sit. It’s sad because I usually love following the whole thing.

But life is actually pretty friggin’ sweet on so many levels.

There were pastries in my office this morning. Sweet.

I can literally have a continual conversation with one of my best friends over a variety of digital communication mediums. We can share bear GIFs, talk soccer, and text about Digiorino pizza. It’s pretty awesome.

I can send GIFS via text message. It’s changed everything.

It feels like a crime that we’ve been led to believe that things are so bad that we forget about the millions of cool things that happen literally every second.

No, you shouldn’t be naive to the pains and troubles of the world. Ignorance is not bliss. I know that I’ve hit the jackpot with where I was born. But I think most of us reading this probably don’t have a horrible life. Our lives are such an improvement over previous generations, and we often forget that.

I believe in embracing and recognizing your struggles, but I also believe in embracing your joys. Accept them and don’t be afraid to spread it around. I think happiness, or at least a genuine smile, is contagious.

This is a dumb example, but I really do enjoy a good turkey sandwich. And I like talking about it. I’ve gotten so good at talking about it, that I can go on for a good five minutes discussing what makes a good sandwich. I think people appreciate genuine joy and I can assure you that my joy towards turkey sandwiches is a real as it can get.

With how bad we think everything is going, I think it’s an accomplishment that any of us get out of bed in the morning. Anger is real and justified, so is sadness, but what about joy, wonder, and genuine amazement? Those subjects are not talked about all that often on the campaign trail. Angry voters are easy to mobilize, happy ones are not.

I don’t know how to fix that, but if someone starts the #TurkeyClubClub party, I’ll definitely be voting for them.