Bonjour, Happieness

August 17th, 2012

I am currently reading Jamie Cat Callan’s “Bonjour Happiness”. I have found this to be just the most delightful book I’ve read in a long time. Jamie helps us find happiness as seen through the eyes of French women. Here in America, according to our constitution, we pursue happiness, with the insinuation that we chase after it. French women LOOK for happiness, like it’s under the table and they are delighted and surprised when they find it.

Here is a passage that illustrates it “in a nutshell”.

“Find a a local cafe or coffee shop and make it your own. Observe your world and get into conversations with people. Learn to be a good listener. You are an important presence in your world. Whether you realize it or not, you are an inspiration and make a difference. Stand up straight. Dress well. Be kind. People are watching.”

It’s so simple to find happiness. It’s in front of us everyday. Tonight it’s in my backyard fire, sharing girl time with my daughter and her friend. It’s in the chips and wine. It’s in the cuteness of the dog my daughter’s friend brought. It’s in the shared conversation. It’s in staying in the moment. It’s in gratitude.

Jamie is so right. Happiness is in sharing with others. Happiness is in caring for yourself. Happiness is in food. Happiness is in caring for your home. In this book Jamie does a phenomenal job of showing how French women find happiness in the most unexpected, sometimes mundane, places.

The most wonderful thing about reading this book, is knowing the author. Jamie Cat Callan truly lives in the manner she describes in the book. She, herself, is a delightful person, filled with exuberance and a sacred respect for life. I truly recommend you get this book, read it, and then keep it close at hand for those off days when you feel sad, melancholy, or stuck in your own life.

And so, as another day goes by, I have a great appreciation for authors like Jamie that help us always move forward, and I have written.