Happiness is a Shmatteh

Happiness is a Shmatteh Published earlier as commentary on Ipeace...

by Raven Cohan

Never having been one to dream of wealth, I have been happy enough in fact to live from hand to mouth at times. (Or at the least, I was not greatly complaining.) Being lucky to make the rent payments was somewhat of an adventure. Sometimes, even in my young 40's, my needing to ask my mom and dad for help wasn't easy, but I dealt with it. Believe me when I tell you they gave me, not a lot, but enough Jewish guilt to go along with the check in the mail. I think I know how this might sound to someone who's life was a far greater struggle. Yet I know one thing through my BELIEF in the eternal... ONE day I will have to struggle harder and on another day struggle less in some new incarnation. Luck during one lifetime is only temporary and comparative.

In this lifetime, my third husband makes it easier than I have ever experienced to enjoy a few things that were sometimes seemingly sacrificial in my leaner years: lots of film, theatre and dining outings plus a fair amount of traveling have I been blessed with to include in my present life. We are not even near having one million bucks in our joint accounts. We live simply in other ways. My most favorite thing to do is shop for my clothes in thrift shops. Unlike Mr. Wallace in the video we at I Peace once were commenting upon, I get plenty of compliments on my thrift shop clothes/bargains, (versus the un-noticed expensive jeans he wore!) I would be one to say that happiness is a shmata (Yiddish for 'rag'), I found at my favorite thrift... (Poem below is also on Peace poetry)

Happiness is a Shmatteh...
(Yiddish for Rag,)
It won't be a drag.
If your wardrobe is shmattehs
When you feel blessed by ETERNTAL life.

An outward appearance
Covered in mud
Awaits the soap and water
Of daily attention.
Some don't own soap
And the water supply is low.
From there, where can someone go?
Back to Blessing Life,
No matter how tough the strife.

Look inward and feel bliss,
Stilling mind just enough.
Practice this and don't miss
The point.
You will awaken and
SELF you'll anoint.
On your path,
Not struggling
But taking sweet time
To evolve past the frenzy
Of pushing ahead...
Instead
You will see the light.
Staying with the second,
No thoughts of tomorrow,
Occurrences bright
Beacons of NOW.
That's who YOU ARE...
Repeat:
I AM,
I AM,
I AM,
Over and over...
Attract to yourself
The sweetness of Clover.
If there is nothing else to eat...
Then EAT THE CLOVER!!!