By Nan Donovan, columnist
How would you rate your happiness? Some days excellent, some days, well it’s just hard to tell. I just read in a book about people over 80 who were asked to rate their happiness. They went from below par to very high. Why?
The weather had a very high impact on their scores. Take today. I looked out my door and noticed that the stones that formed a run-way for rain water — that’s almost always dry — water was flowing through it like it was a permanent creek. It must have really rained during the night.
Today is dreary. That makes some people feel depressed. Not me today. Today are the play-off games for football. Now football is not usually so important, especially for women of my age, but it makes me happy.
So if you don’t care a darn about football, it’s still dreary. Are you unhappy? If so, let’s try to improve your mood a little.
Do you like board games? Scrabble (my favorite), cards or even checkers? Call some of your friends, the ones who don’t like football, and invite them over for a challenge of your favorite game. Or if games are not to your liking, do you like to cook? Why not ask a friend to lunch, cooked by you, or even a home-baked apple pie? Now I would almost give up watching my football game for a piece of home-made apple pie. ( I said almost.)
Sometimes when you are feeling down, it just takes someone to talk with to make you feel better. Make sure that the other person is not someone who always thinks that the world is always against them. Call one of those happy people. You know, one who is always happy, talks happy, laughs at their most difficult situations. They are the most lovable people!
If these suggestions don’t appeal to you, try to bring yourself out of this rotten mood. What are just some of the things that you are most thankful for? You have a home, don’t you? And plenty of food? And you are reasonably healthy? And at least it’s not snowing. Or do you just love to see the snow, falling down, making everything look like a winter wonderland?
There goes that happy mood because with the snow, you can’t get out, people can’t come in…get over it! Be thankful that you are still alive, that this is just temporary, and it is just about five weeks till spring. That should makes us all happy.
I think I just improved my own mood.
Till next time, be safe, warm and happy.
“The Right Age” is a weekly column written for senior citizens by 84-year-old Nan Donovan, who has lived in the Shenandoah Valley for 45 years. She has worked for newspapers, as well as radio and television stations, including WLCC. She moved to the Valley from Pennsylvania.
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Nice, inspiring article!