Static Happiness

Reading this John Updike quote reminded me why he is one of my favorite authors and that I have not read a book by him in a long time. Self-Consciousness is definitely going on the reading list.

There is no such thing as static happiness. Happiness is a mixed thing, a thing compounded of sacrifices, and losses, and betrayals.

I can relate most to that statement in the context of motherhood. There were shared sacrifices made by J and I, we suffered losses (alone and together) and sometimes felt betrayed by each other. The happiness of being mother to her when she was a baby is nothing like what it is like now or will be in the future. Indeed it is a mixed and changing thing.