Building Happiness

One of my recent DVD selections from Netflix was a small film starring Chris Cooper entitled Married Life. It focused on a married couple who had seemingly settled into a life of dull routine after many years of being together. In actuality, both were having affairs with others. The dilemma of the film centers on the husband's decision to kill his wife because he simply cannot bear to hurt her emotionally. She, on the other hand, has decided she can never leave her husband because he would be lost without her to iron his shirts and perform other mundane, wifely duties. One of the themes, repeated quite frequently in the course of the movie, is that one cannot build happiness on the unhappiness of others. Perhaps this statement is true if one is speaking of marriage, but in the context of today's inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, I would think the opposite is true.

Yesterday the nation commemorated Martin Luther King Day. For those of my generation, and especially those raised in the South during the 1960's, today's events mark the culmination of the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.--the content of one's character can indeed triumph over the color of one's skin. Yet that time period was obviously a costly one for so many actively involved in the civil rights struggle. It was a time of death, discouragement, and unhappiness as the goal of the dream seemed impossible. Today, however, happiness has indeed been built on the unhappiness and protests of others from our recent history.

Barack Obama was not my candidate in the recent election. It was a decision not based upon the color of his skin but on his inexperience. I hope to be shown I was wrong as the months go on, and we witness his leadership and decision-making ability. The unhappiness in America is strong with the worldwide economic near-collapse and wars on two fronts. After these events end, I would hope, and pray, that America obtains some happiness again.