Friday, August 8, 2008

Happy happy joy joy

August 8, 2008 - Or... as the Chinese are promoting... 08 08 08 - Eight is a lucky number. Eight is a number much sought in license plates, addresses, and phone numbers. The number 8 in Chinese sounds like the word for wealth and therefore is lucky. Hence, the Olympics will begin on 08 08 08 at 8:00 in Beijing. For a friend who's birthday is today, this must be the start of a great new year. And for the athletes at this year's Olympics, luck might come in handy since breathing might be a tad difficult.

But 08 08 08 is also The Day to Create. For the creative, today is your lucky day. I create a daily article, often pulled from thin air, and most certainly created on the fly. I tried to create with paint once. I made a lovely painting in oils of blue. I thought it was of he bay at Chippewa Park, but really... it was just 'blue'. My grandmother however, thought it was the best blue. She framed it, and hung in on the wall for all to see. My grandmother was the best. She tried to teach me how to knit so I could create something from wool. I didn't much get the hang of it and created instead a lovely square of beige. Not long enough to be a scarf, not big enough to be a place mat, it was just a big of beige. Eventually I did learn to knit, but my aunt was the one who finally taught me that skill. I did eventually create a sweater - but at 14 months and a conservative $15 per hour, that sweater cost thousands of dollars in labour and by the time it was done - it was summer. The next sweater I knit will be knit in Taiwan.

In University, I thought I would learn to sew. I could buy fabric and turn them in to clothes. I brought out the sewing machine, bought a patter, and proceeded to create a house coat. What I ended up creating was more of a blanket. Too long to walk in, and too big to fit in a regular wash machine. It was a giant square of burgundy. The next time I thought I wanted to sew, I went to the mall and picked up a little something someone else had already sewn.

Today, if I create anything, I will create happiness. I'm much better equipped to create fun and laughter. Today is Happiness Happens Day. I believe that happiness isn't a right, nor is it anyone else's responsibility. Happiness is something that you happens because you let it happen. After watching an hour of news it may be hard to believe that there is any happiness out there, but it is all around us. It happens on crowded buses and subway cars, on planes, on the street, in music, and in words. Happiness is there. If you are looking for it, it will be found. So today, when you buying your lucky lotto ticket, or starting a new project, enjoy the moment. Happiness happens between your ears.

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