Happiness is like dinner. As a child (if you are fortunate), someone regularly made sure you had it. They do this because they care, and it’s kinda their job to do so. When you are older and independent, you become forced to make it for yourself, and if you don’t, you’ll go hungry.
You’ll try for a while to rely on your parents or friends. You may become frustrated or angry with them when they don’t deliver. The truth is, you’re old enough now to at least know how to boil an egg, so get to it. And so you do. Unfortunately, you decide your skills are lacking. Perhaps you turn to easy solutions like fast food or maybe fancy restaurants. Temporary solutions. Then one day, you realize you’ve gained too much weight or spent too much money: things that only make life more difficult for you. Humans do this in their search for satisfaction. Temporary solutions (or people) never work.
It’s hard, I get it. You have to navigate through all the recipes and decide what fits your tastes, budget, and talents, and you have failures trying to sort out all of these things. There are also times when you are too tired to cook, too tired to stand up even, too tired to try. You just want someone else to make it for you. You may find someone, and that may even work for a while, but you shouldn’t depend on someone else to be in charge of feeding your stomach or your happiness.
It is absolutely ok to have those moments once in a while, but ultimately, it is best to learn how to satisfy your hunger on your own with good healthy food, not fixes. When it comes to dinner and happiness, try not to depend too much on others. Whether you’re married, living with friends, or in the military, do yourself a favor and learn to make your own happiness, because otherwise, you’ll always be disappointed in others and your life.
Good luck, and bon appetit.
INGRID E FABER 