"The Lay of the Land" by Richard Ford: a reader's journal (12)

Happiness (2)

"Life (...), real life, is different and can't even be appraised as simply "happy", but only in terms of "Yes, I'll take it all, thanks," or "No, I believe I won't." Happy, as my poor father used to say, is a lot of hooey. Happy is a circus clown, a sitcom, a greeting card. Life, though, life's about something sterner. But also something better. A lot better. Believe me." (p. 380)

I could probably bring other quotes from different authors, all of them searching for happiness the elusive definition, flick of the light instant. Frank sought it as everybody else does, and got it, a few "one shiny moment(s)", that he can now look back into. A man about to die.

Interesting to compare and contrast with an earlier moment of happiness.
And I guess I could make these words mine.

Other reading journals: an index