Comments on: I Was Happy, Wasn’t I?

By: MemeGRL

MemeGRL — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:21:44 +0000

I’m so with EB on this one. And I have to say, in my high school yearbook, one of my Deep, Deep Quotes was from Tennyson, cribbed from the older brother of one of my classmates: “And was the day of my delight/As pure and perfect as I say?” Even at the end of high school, I could feel myself editing out the crummy parts and remembering only the fun things and the good times and the happy days. And there were plenty that didn’t fall in that category.

Ditto Penn. My job required me to speak positively of my experience there. And mostly, that wasn’t hard. But being there as a non-employee reminded me of several things I choose not to remember very often, and that certainly would not have helped recruit new students to attend. But it was a great reunion, even if we never saw each other! Thanks for the awesome column.

By: lindacopy

lindacopy — Sun, 16 May 2010 16:58:08 +0000

I’m just catching up on some of your and Jennifer’s posts. This is a terrific one, because it is such fertile ground. You hit so many good points, so I just had one thing to add: that we feel things much more intensely when we’re young (maybe because it’s the first time we’re feeling them– first major romance, etc.), so the pendulum swings from happy to sad are bigger arcs. It’s more like from exhilaration to devastation. Years later, we remember those truly exhilarating times as the “happiest” in our lives. It’s an intensity that our mature selves can recall, but experience much less often.

By: Well Read Hostess

Well Read Hostess — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:58:10 +0000

I was so sick on that day that I almost had to be hospitalized. I’m sure that going out into the quad in 90 degrees and drinking god knows what someone had handed me didn’t help, but it turned out that I had mono and I spent much of the next two months in bed.

I was not so happy on that day.

Glad you were! You sure look happy! But you mostly look happy. You have that “I’m genuinely happy” smile.

By: Linda at Bar Mitzvahzilla

Linda at Bar Mitzvahzilla — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:27:13 +0000

I love the idea that because college turned out so well your memories of it are happy. That must be why my memories of college are so awful! College ended with my excruciating relationship and then marriage to my ex-husband. Ugh.

Thanks for visiting my blog today and I love this MOB idea, how nice for two friends to write together! I’ll be back!

By: Allison @ Alli 'n Son

Allison @ Alli 'n Son — Fri, 14 May 2010 02:39:49 +0000

Love this quote “letting the best of times define the experience and leaving the worst of it behind.” That really says it all and is the way that we should all be living our lives.

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 14 May 2010 00:09:43 +0000

“It all turned out OK.” Yes. This is remarkable, isn’t it? That we can look back on times and see the happy times clearer than the sad because in the end it all worked out? I know it can happen in the reverse, too. Certainly. But the power of the mind to do this is fascinating, either way, actually. I enjoyed this post. My 20th HS reunion is this year, and while HS definitely wasn’t the happiest time of my life, I find it curious to think back and remember more happiness than not.

By: Cblooz

Cblooz — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:45:37 +0000

My wife and I graduated college over 20 years ago. We went to the same school but I was one year ahead of her.

We had profoundly different college experiences-I look back on it with great memories and more happy times than bad ones. My wife on the other hand doesn’t share my fondness (even though she met me!)and sometimes wishes she had gone to a different school(while still marrying me).

Of course over time you do sometimes lose track of friends you were very close with as both your life and theirs become more busy. But overall I think it was a happy time with small periods of sadness here and there.

Enjoy the weekend and looking forward to hearing how it goes for you.

By: kate

kate — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:27:17 +0000

i just started working on my memory post for tomorrow and some of what you touch upon is what i was thinking about as well. how we can look back on a time in our lives and just remember the good as an overall impression, even thought (as you said) there were enough of the not-so-goods to break even. so glad i found your post today and WELCOME!

By: becca

becca — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:48:19 +0000

I loved this take on happiness. And I think you’re so right although I’ve never thought about it this way. When we think back on our past, we tend to generalize and think of the overall picture. I know I was unhappy for MUCH of college, but I remember the beautiful days skiing in Vt, the fun parties, the laughs and tend to forget the “drama”. So yes, I also say college was great although really, it wasn’t so much. I’m glad my mind holds onto the good times instead of the bad… it helps us move forward and feel optimistic. It’s probably why we go on to have more and more kids! We forget the pain of child birth, the exhausting first weeks (years/months) and just look at our kids as they are today and think – this is pretty great! Let’s do it again!

By: Amber

Amber — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:57:40 +0000

As a recent graduate of college (last August), I can’t honestly say it was the happiest time of my life. It was stressful, busy, and I felt very burnt out by the end. (That could be because I had one baby and one on the way by the time I walked).) But, I can say it was one of the most rewarding. A gift that continues to brighten my life.

Like you, though, there were plenty of happy times to make the whole experience pretty, well, happy.