Recently the Live Happy staff decided to take a painting class together. (We were inspired by our own story, “Let It Go,” in the June issue.) As part of the class, we had pre-chosen a piece of artwork for inspiration and then were led step by step through the painting process by a seasoned pro.
At the end of our session, we lined up three deep, holding our creations for a series of phone photos. The wall opposite us was mirrored, so when we held up our paintings in front of our faces for the last shot, I could see what the camera saw by peeking around my still-tacky canvas. Without our faces in the picture, our paintings, deeply colored and graphic, popped together—like pieces of a puzzle. “They’re better together,” I thought.
Perhaps this came to mind because we were currently working on this issue, which has a community theme. Communities can be a major source of happiness, support and joy. If we’re fortunate, we’re born into a loving, caring community and then grow up and raise our families in equally good ones.
When we’re happy at work, it often means that our co-workers and we are also a community. When we stand up together—to cheer a local team, sing a song of praise, run for a cause or toast a neighborhood friend on his 80th—we feel the bonds of community. Communities are as different as we are as individuals, but they all have this in common: It takes two or more people to make a community. We’re better together.
Our paintings are now hanging in the Live Happy office, grouped together into one bold statement of happiness and unity. Whether you’re reading Live Happy or have visited livehappy.com for the first or 20th time, you are part of a growing community of people that cares about happiness.
We’re better together!
