An Introduction...

07/15/12

Good evening, humble readers!

I know that I am making a huge assumption about the likelihood that anyone will ever actually read these words, but I figure that a friendly greeting is always in order when beginning a new relationship. For me, this is the start of two new relationships: 1) The one that will exist between me and this little corner of cyberspace and 2) The one that will allow me to better understand myself as a result of writing here.

I have to be honest though, in that what I am attempting to achieve with this blog is not an original concept. I am currently reading Radio Shangri-La, a memoir written by Lisa Napoli, an American journalist living in Los Angeles, about her experiences helping to run a radio station in the removed country of Bhutan. The King of Bhutan rules his country under the philosophy of Gross National Happiness as opposed to the rest of the world's understanding of Gross National Product as a measure of wealth and success. In light of this concept and her search to find happiness, Ms. Napoli begins an exercise – presented to her by her own guru of sorts – in which she keeps a record of three good things that happened to her every day.

The concept is simple: In our busy, fast-paced lives, we are often so bogged down by the negative and trivial that we neglect to revel in the moments of happiness that we encounter every day. These moments are often rushed though and easily forgotten, so we tend to look at our lives as though they are bleak, rather than bright and enriched. As such, I have decided to follow Napoli's lead in attempting to remind myself of the good things in my life. Some may be huge, life altering moments of bliss, and others small and seemingly insignificant moments in time, but each will be carefully chosen and presented, as there may only be three recorded in a day.

This exercise is outlined by Napoli in the prologue of Radio Shangri-La and as I am still reading the book, I am still unsure of the overall effect that this has had on the author’s life, but the idea has inspired me enough to take a chance. I look forward to continue reading of Lisa’s experiences and the good things in her life and I hope to grow along with her as I do.

Michael