By Luke Durling
A friend recently asked a question about how to be happy in these times of stress and strife. I have been considering this myself for the past few months. It wasn’t until I was eating my first Halloween Oreo of the season that I really fully understood the answer.
To any other person in my life, there is nothing special about Halloween Oreos. To others, they are simply regular Oreos with orange cream filling. In my opinion, however, they are the best variety of Oreos God has ever blessed us with. I have never really understood why this is, even to myself. I enjoy Halloween and I enjoy Oreos, but even I can understand that correlation doesn’t equal causation every time. So, I am left riding in the truck with my father, eating some of the best cookies I’ve ever had as the sun goes down on the horizon, on our way home to my incredible mother, dog and cat waiting for us.
I am the luckiest person on the face of the earth. I truly am.
Much like the “sacred” cookies that grace my tongue, I can understand why others would question that statement, seeing as how others have so much more than I do, have more power, influence.
I have so much beauty and vast blessings in my life that it is truly difficult to describe. Mainly, it comes down to the fact that however large my problems seem in the moment, I truly have very few things to worry about in my life.
My only frustration in life comes when I can’t help someone else. I want to use my luck and wealth to make the world better.
It’s hard to do that in a system built around the self. We need the self, we need the joy, but I don’t think we need the self as much as people think. We have our gifts and we must give them to others who need them.
I want all people to be able to experience the joy of punching walls and earth in Bananza, how satisfying it is to find a banana you walked past twenty times; find that same satisfaction wherever it may come.
I want all people to be able to step onto their local stage, into a community and spotlight they never dreamed was possible until it was. I want all aspiring artists and writers to have their work be seen and loved in ways they never imagined. Give people spontaneous joy that can only happen with a selfless love.
I want the world to have the father and mother figures I was blessed with. Friends and family that show up to events, show you the world and let you show them yours. Family who would walk through streets ablaze just to help you out, see you smile.
I want everyone to find their own Halloween Oreos, a joy that to them and perhaps them alone, makes them feel like they are as, or if not luckier than I am,
Too often, I count my blessings and confuse them with ego because I feel like I’m not doing enough to justify these tremendous gifts. In all reality, I’m probably not. I’ve failed myself and others on numerous occasions. For that, I apologize, ask for your forgiveness. But I want to continue to try, do the best I can to repay these gifts, simply because I am the luckiest person in the world, especially with you in my life.
I have no plan, but I do have a purpose. I hope to give the world the opportunities it has given me, to atone any ill I have done, and be the person who God has blessed me to be. To live is to be given a gift that others must share. I yearn, hope to share it with whoever I can.
I’ll even share my cookies with you, help you find your own.
All my love to all of you. ❤️
Calm and Cultured 