Our Story Begins:
If You’re Happy and You Know It
When’s the last time you did something fun and interesting and enjoyed it with a bunch of people?
I’m not talking about the movies. We’ve all been to the movies which, yes, is a communal experience, but it’s not really the same as going to . . . say . . . a concert.
And just this week, research has borne this out.
A study out of Australia has shown that people who attend concert or even if they dance are far happier. Period. They call it “Subjective Well Being.” So in essence, if you go to a show, you are just going to be happier. If you go to shows or go out dancing, or go hear live music and then go dancing . . . you’ll be happier.
In the past six months to a year music has played an important part in my life’s story.
In December, for example, I saw the band right above me there . . . The Nickel Slots. For the second time in at least a month I was dancing. Not “oh he’s moving to the music,” but actually dancing. My kids were floored. When they told the woman with whom I’d shared this moment that I never danced I simply replied “I just never had the right partner.” The picture at the top? Just a few months later. I went to the Hollywood Bowl and saw David Gilmour, from Pink Floyd . . . something from my Bucket List.
The study says that being part of that communal experience, but also hearing the music, experiencing it live, being with a crowd and all experiencing the same event but seeing and hearing it through your own perspective are pretty amazing things. You live and experience and you’re happy . . . and you live longer, it says.
So why do I bring this up?
I’ve been taking my kids to concerts with me since they were little.
When my oldest daughter, Abbi, was about to turn 6, I think it was, I asked what she wanted to do for her birthday. She asked to see BB King, the King of the Blues. We got to meet him and she still talks about it.
Fast forward something like 15 years and she’s still going to shows, re-living her childhood and loving every minute of it.
I also entered the recording studio and began recording my own solo record, something I would have never considered years ago.
And even in the last week I’ve seen the benefits. I have been dating a beautiful, amazing woman for a number of months. When I found out Steve Martin and Martin Short were having a comedy and musical show I got tickets. In what was a stressful and hard week for both of us we left singing, laughing, and our sides hurt. Both of us. I mean, sure, I was with a beautiful woman so I’d be smiling anyway, but the fact remains that just being in a crowd and clapping with Martin’s Bluegrass band along with laughing at Short’s musical routines we saw an amazing thing.
Happiness is what you make of it, sure, but are you doing things that will make you and your kids happy? Do you go just to the baseball field and the football field or soccer pitch or do you take them and see concerts? Do you dance? Do you sing? When’s the last time you saw something and said “that would be cool” only to blow it off later?
Maybe . . . just maybe . . . you shouldn’t.
You might live longer.
