Over the past few weeks, I have felt very out of place. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I’ve just felt like something I am doing or feeling is wrong and that I’m not where I should be. I’m sure many people experience this feeling but no one can quite find the words to describe it. For me, the best word I can use is weird; I just feel weird lately. Maybe it is my job, maybe it’s where I am, and maybe it’s a lack of motivation, who knows.
But nonetheless, I started thinking about what I wish my life was like in these moments. I thought about where I want to be and what I want to be doing in that exact moment. Doing so made me realize that my “happy place”, so to speak, isn’t a definable place but more about the people that are with me. For me, I am most happy when I am surrounded by my family and closest friends (who are really just as much my family).
Thinking back to the last time I remember being truly happy, I was with my entire family just sitting together and laughing at something ridiculous my brother said. No matter what, I can always count on my family to make me laugh when I’m sad and to be there for me when I need them. My mom, my dad, and my brother are the ones that make me feel like I always have a safe place to come home to. And to be honest, I really think that is what a “happy place” is really all about.
To me, a happy place is somewhere you feel safe and relaxed where you can forget about all the bad things in life and find something that makes you smile. It’s a place where you don’t have to be afraid of other people’s opinions, defending who you are, or even just walking down the street by yourself.
With everything that has been going on in the world over the past few months, I think it is so important for people to have some kind of escape where they can feel safe. Whether their escape is their family, or music, or their bedroom, or a little hut in the Bahamas, everyone deserves to feel safe. I should not have to be subjected to harassment when I walk down the street just because I am a woman.
Someone who is simply in love, no matter whom it is that they love, should not be made to feel like there is something wrong with them because of it. Someone who is black, or anyone for that matter, should not have to feel unsafe just because they are exercising their right to protest and stand up for what they believe in. Bottom line.
I encourage everyone to find something in their life that makes them feel safe, relaxed, and happy. There are a lot of terrible people in this world that can and will do things to make you feel unsafe. However, there is always a way to find a little bit of happiness and security in life. You just have to be willing to look for it.
