Last year on my anniversary, I began my post with a photo from my wedding. Our anniversary is two days from when this post goes live, and for this year's photo, I thought I'd go even further back in time. The picture above, just for funsies, is from an engagement party my family threw for me at my childhood home in Chicago. Wow, do we ever look young! I guess twenty-seven years makes a difference. Happy anniversary, CIO! Thanks for sticking with me!
Every year, major life events in August––my birthday (the 12th) and our wedding anniversary (the 16th)––inspire me to reflect. Over the course of this year, I've been thinking a lot about the effects of the people with whom we spend time and surround ourselves. Way back in March, I heard a podcast (The Happiness Lab) episode called, "What We Can Learn from the Happiest Countries on Earth." In it, Dr. Laurie Santos talked about the World Happiness Report with John Helliwell, who has been part of the Happiness Report since its founding.
The part of the podcast that hit me the hardest was the second half, when he talked about social connections and loneliness. He highlighted the effects on human happiness of having social connections. He says that people are much happier based on whom they're with than based on what they're doing. This line of thought led me to remember the pandemic, when we all needed to spend more time engaged in solitary pursuits. It has been difficult, especially for those of us who are naturally inclined toward introversion, to form and/or reform strong social connections since then.
In contemplating the title of today's post, I remembered that I long ago read a creepy/dystopian Russian novel called We by Yevgeny Zamyatin in which characters don't have names and are under constant surveillance. I recommend the book (even though it's clearly not my preferred genre) and note that at its heart, we share the message that social isolation is devastating to happiness.
So, as a Russian novelist published over a hundred years ago, I proclaimed in front of family and friends twenty-seven years minus two days ago, and the World Happiness Report clarified this year, people are happier when they forge and maintain strong human connections. Let's all work to become "we" rather than lots of "I"s. If you're reading this, I consider you part of my WE. Thank you for boosting my happiness!
Please share any responses in the comments.
Happy birthday and Anniversary. Being part of your WE makes me happy.
I’m so happy that you’re in my WE, too! Let’s get together at some point this fall — an afternoon walk, perhaps?
Happy birthday and anniversary! I’m so glad you were born and that you brought Chris into our family! And of course that the two of you brought in two more amazing family members.
I have definitely based more of my life’s decisions on who I’d be doing them with than on what I’d be doing. Thanks for making me feel better about that path.
Thanks and back at you!