The journey is as rewarding as the goal

There may be some very real life issues a person is confronted with which can impact on happiness and contentment. Yet, it can be noted there are some folks who deal with challenges and still move through life with zest, energy, and a perpetual smile on their face. Then there are others who live in an angry and confrontational manner, even if they have born with a silver spoon in their mouth.

In the past couple of years, I have been observing the current president of the United States. I have listened carefully to his words, hoping to hear a bit of common sense, and possibly some hint that he actually doesn't believe the world revolves around him.

This is the fellow who stated the FBI's raid of his lawyer's office, home, and hotel room was an attack on his country.

Observation indicates that Trump might be a bit wrapped up in himself - and further indicates he might not be a happy person. The physical signs are the arms folded tightly across his chest when he is asked a question he doesn't like. There is also the perpetual downward turn of the mouth - alternated with the pursed lips, and the frequent sneer.

Then there is the “piercing eye” look, coupled with the set jaw and horizontal lip-line. This might be the tough guy, shrewd businessman look. Most smiles on Donald Trump's face are similar to that of a Cheshire cat or the cartoon villan, often seen on his face during rally just after he has bad-mouthed someone. Hillary Clinton has afforded this man many reasons to display those kinds of smiles. One has to wonder why President Trump can't seem to move beyond Hillary Clinton.

Ironically, the only time when Donald Trump seems happy is when he has scheduled a rally in areas where it is pretty certain he will hear cheers and applause. Unfortunately, he seems unable to simply bask in the glory of his created moment.

Then there are the lies. It seems if the truth is bothersome...a bit of a nuisance. It is interesting to note that Trump truth often changes from one moment to the next. Mark Twain noted that “If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.” Donald Trump takes a particularly easy path. He simply denies things he has said or pretends the tweet he wrote the day before does not exist.

In spite of the fact that I might seem to be a bit hard on Donald Trump, I do want to mention a very real benefit I personally have acquired from my observation of the man. In taking a good look at the body language and listening to the tirades of an obviously unhappy person, I have come to appreciate being in a happy state of mind - a state of mind that I hope to maintain and build on.

Being happy gives a person energy, and a happy and energetic person is then able to expand on their happiness. I have decided that I will not take happiness for granted. In addition to looking at my own place in this world and how I live, I have decided to do a bit of research related to happiness.

In the future the reader of this column might note bits of that research popping up from time to time. When Trump gets to be a bit too much I will just have to counteract the negativity with a good dose of positivity - such as taking my pups for a walk in the sunshine or viewing the latest pics of my new grandson.

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Shirley Hallee’s column appears weekly in the Amherst News.