The fire is crackling in my backyard as Robby tells me about how life's going for him. Things are looking up. His career is starting to take off, and him and his family just moved into a new house. The pandemic hadn't broken him.
The same couldn't be said for me.
Besides being a year after losing my job due to COVID restrictions and budget cuts, I had an identity crisis going on, and it showed in the 20 pounds I lost in a week. Smiling was hard.
Robby knew that. Which is why right after telling me and Ronny, he looked at me and apologized.
"Why are you apologizing?" I asked him.
"I'm talking about how my job is going great while you're still unemployed. Feels rude to brag."
I laughed a little, looked at him and said, "I might not have a lot to smile about right now, but that doesn't mean you have to be sad also. I know how hard it is to get to a point where life makes you smile. Hearing that your life and family are doing great makes me happy. Happiness is hard enough without having to be bitter when someone's doing better than you."
Since then, we started saying that to each other. It's become a reminder to enjoy the moments when we are happy, and to not be bitter when someone else is happy. Happiness is not a zero-sum game. If anything, it's a contagious feeling that can spread. But only if you want it to.
I hope you find something to make you happy, and I hope no one tries to take it from you. Happiness is hard, but it's not impossible.