My favourite author is Thomas Hardy. Just a quick aside. I have always loved his books. He writes with so much wisdom and insight when observing and describing human emotion and human weakness. (It started with The Mayor of Casterbridge and developed from there.) I have read a couple of excellent biographies and he has become one of my few heroes. A wonderful, enigmatic and I guess like everyone else, somewhat flawed human being. Anyway - I was on my way down to the West Country - had some spare time - knew he was born at Higher Bockhampton and buried in near by Stinsford Church near Dorchester (a place that features a lot in his novels) - so I decided to visit. It is a lovely place as expected. Stinsford Church is small and picturesque. There was his headstone. To my amazement I discover we share exactly the same birthday - 2nd June. Yes an amazing coincidence. Some would read more into it perhaps. For me it has made an emotional bond - however illogical - even stronger.
Back to my heading - happiness and expectation. Hardy's novel A Pair Of Blue Eyes. His character Mr Knight said to Elfride " I have thought many times lately that a thin widespread happiness, commencing now, and of a piece with the days of your life, is preferable to an anticipated heap far away in the future and none now."
In simple terms I think many people think they can only be happy when they have this, that or the other - particularly in a materialistic sense. Everything is on hold until they get it. Always looking for the adrenalin rush - or the big event, the big statement, the big status. I am with Knight although of course it is good to have a change of scene - something to get excited by - providing the price is not too high in the context of your ongoing daily life.
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