I'm a Communist.
A Happiness Communist. Everyone should be happy. There should be enough happiness to spread around to everyone, even ACTUAL Communist countries. But where should it start?
This week I bought the movie Happy-Go-Lucky. It is about a 30-year-old woman named, Poppy, whose constant optimism generates many different, and sometimes very extreme, reactions. When I'd seen the trailer online last year, I vowed I HAD to watch it.
What makes Poppy special is the fact that she does not care what people think about her. She goes about her day not worried about her high heels -- the ones her racist, pessimistic driving instructor hates so much -- or that her bike is stolen. Her outlook alludes to a famous Bible passage (and my personal favorite): "Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?" (Matthew 6:27)
Another point I find very interesting is the meaning behind the protagonist's name. "Poppy" is defined as "an herbaceous plant with showy flowers, milky sap, and rounded seed capsules. Many poppies contain alkaloids and are a source of drugs such as morphine and codeine." The character, Poppy, holds the same potential effect as the flower. She is flamboyant and exaggerated, while at the same time possessing the ability to comfort the pain of others.
By the end of the movie, I was left a little confused because there was no concrete ending. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it didn't matter. I was happier and more cheerful after I had watched it. Throughout the movie, Poppy did and said things that would entertain herself, regardless if others thought they were as entertaining -- so why wouldn't the movie be made with the same spirit? The movie wasn't made for you, but if you enjoyed it as well, then that is merely an added bonus.
Poppy's happiness started with her. By keeping herself entertained and genuinely happy, her happiness spills over and manifests into an undeniable compassion for those who populate her surroundings.
Like Poppy, I don't really know how to end this post... So with that, go out tomorrow and make yourself smile. Who knows, you might makes someone else smile with you :)
"Spread love wherever you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving them happier."
-Mother Teresa
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