Happy Enough

Happy Enough


Have you ever been asked
“Are you happy?”
Can you give an instant reply?
No hesitation?
Unequivocal ?
“Yes, I'm happy.”

I am envious of your certainty.
“Am I happy?”
Time and life's circumstances
Make me hesitate
Equivocate.
“I'm happy enough.”

There were times in my life I could have said
“Yes, I'm happy.”
My marriage.
The birth of my children.
Their college graduation.
“Yes, I was happy.”


But experiences and loss can change that.
“Are you still happy?”
Dreams die, unaccomplished..
Goals are out of reach.
Relationships change.
“What is happy?”

The future still holds promise in some ways.
“Can you be happy?”
Yes, when my children marry.
When they have children of their own.
When they reach their dreams.
“I will be happy.”

But today, at this moment, it's complicated.
“Are you happy?”
I see more endings.
And fewer beginnings.
I have to consider all of my life to this point. So...
“I'm happy enough.”


Will Hansen, 2014.