Unexpected Keys to Happiness

It's no surprise that I've lived my life wrong. If we consider getting better things, having better things, eating the best food, and having a manageable life success, I've failed on all counts. If I were a Sim or a character in a video game, I'd finish the game just about exactly where I started.

I'm not complaining, mind you. It's just that it took me beyond halfway through my life to see all the attitudes I should have adopted early on.

Like being sentimental, for instance.

I'm not sure how to change that, and at first blush it would seem to be a pretty rewarding thing. Looking at pictures or copies of old cards and correspondence invariably causes my heart to pause, get a wee bit warmer, and cause me to either sigh or wince. The trouble is, I tend to save everything that causes these reactions, which means I have tons of stuff that has no practical value.

I think the truly happy people maintain their possessions at a decent number. They have memories they can pull up without the need for any sort of physical prompt, and, while I guess I do, too, maybe I don't rely on my ability to do that as much as I should.

Maybe it's like most other things and comes with practice.