the opposite of snark

surprisingly, despite all the temptations (politics!! the internet!! the newspaper!!) to indulge in a large and loud bout of cynicism, this quote grabbed me today:

"...Happiness is not happiness unless it is shared. For happiness is the one thing in all the world that comes to us only at the moment we give it, and is likewise increased by being given away. " - Clark Strand, "The Wisdom of Frogs" (from the Tricycle Daily Dharma)

i've been thinking that about reiki lately. i'm on the receiving end of a lot of reiki, and try to send out reiki at least once a day to whoever needs it. this is no more generous than exhaling. you can't hold your breath forever, and reiki seems to build up until i have to send some out. and the "reiki feeling" that i get is very closely akin to happiness. it's calm, it's assured, it's comfortable, and it's natural. it's what happens when i get over my fear and boredom and depression and anxiety about the future and wishing that things were otherwise, and just send out the pure good feeling of being happy in spite of whatever's going on. or maybe because of what's going on. i dunno. it's a very present-moment kinda thing.

presence. it's what's for dinner

beijos
v