Words by Zoe Lyons
Earlier this summer I performed at a comedy festival in Inverness called “Happyness”. It is a lovely weekend of gigs in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK with the odd dram of the strong stuff thrown in for good measure. What’s not to like? I did a little interview while I was up there and the journalist asked me the very simple question, ” So, what does happiness mean to you Zoe?”
Happiness is often spoken about as if it is some sort of mythical land. The quest for happiness is big business, there are endless self help books on how to reach the promised place of contentment.
I think it is good to be forced to think about the things in life that truly make you happy, zoom in on them. When I have I realised that the things in life that really make my “bum hum” are really tiny things. Its so easy to get distracted by what we think we need to be happy, bigger faster, better but I can honestly say nothing I have purchased in my life has ever made me as happy as seeing my small ginger terrier leap like a lamb in a meadow.
I have decided to pay more attention to the small stuff, I am not interested in the big plan or the grand scheme of things. It’s all about the titchy for me so I have compiled for you a tiny list of some of the minutia of life that rings my bell.
Getting an actual letter through the post with an stamp on the envelope from a friend. Granted there are less letters these days but even a real, tangible, birthday or thank you card as apposed to a digital greeting is a wee delight.
Staring at the different kinds of ice cream in a gelato shop always gives me a tiny bubble of joy. They look so pretty and it is a delicious dilemma trying to decide, do you go classy with rum and raisin or trashy with the triple ripple.
Sliders, burgers but smaller and better basically because you can eat loads of them. Shetland ponies, half the horse yet twice as cute same goes for pygmy pigs and goats and fairy penguins.
Hearing a song on the radio that you used to love in your youth and realising that you still know all the words. The lyrics locked away somewhere in the dark recesses of your mind just waiting patiently to be allowed to sing again.
Laughing so hard that you spit your drink out, a liquid laugh if you will. Whenever anybody asks me what is the key to a good long term relationship ( I have been with my other half 16 years) I say being able to still make them laugh so hard that tea comes down their nose. It’s not romantic but it seems to work for us.
The sound of snow falling, the smell of onions sautéing and hearing doves cooing all do it for me, they are all small wonders in my world. I would encourage you dear reader to embrace the teeny pleasures around you and relish life’s mini moments. One word of warning though, small is not always a good thing, ladies am I right? You know what I am talking about. The idea of being trapped in a tiny lift with Bernie Ecclestone and Tom Cruise…. massive nightmare!
Zoe Lyons hosts Bent Double at the Komedia on the first Sunday of the month. Follow Zoe @zoelyons