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Irrationally Happy

This quote by Mary Churchill in The Splendid and The Vile is so relatable to that period of youth. She talks of her own state of mind when England is under constant attack by Germany and the mood of the county is anything but happy:

“I think it will always stand out in my memory. It has been very happy for me too—despite the misery & unhappiness in the world. I hope that does not mean that I am unfeeling—I really don’t think I am, but somehow I just haven’t been able to help being happy.”

The exact time period when that happens -  just haven’t been able to help being happy might differ along with the duration for which it lasts, but there is such a magical time. There is a lot of needless exuberance, laughing until your sides hurt, seeing everything in bright colors. The lines reminded me of a teenager I know who's had a very difficult life for the last four years and things are not improving. 

Yet in the last few months, he has been irrationally exuberant, optimistic about life ahead often naively so - but this happiness is indeed something he cannot help himself feeling as none of the conditions in his life would make it logical. Reading this and thinking of this kid, I wondered if there was a way to tap into this natural reservoir of unstoppable happiness that humans have in them, and somehow use it to combat depression that is far too common in this same age. 

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