I was trying to figure out what to do for my wife this year. This December 20th, my wife and I will celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary…so that is a whole lot of Valentine’s Day gifts given over the years. Frankly, I am running out of ideas. There are only so many boxes of candy, bouquets of flowers, pieces of jewelry to give…different restaurants to try; before they all just sort of run together. My wife may beg to differ…to her, a woman can NEVER have enough jewelry.
Anyway, as I am driving around in my car, the song Make Someone Happy comes on radio. Many artists have recorded the song over the years, but this version was from Jimmy Durante. Durante recorded the song back in 1963, and most middle-aged folks remember the song from the movie soundtrack of Sleepless in Seattle, starring Tom Hanks.
I did a little research and discovered the song was originally written for the 1960 Broadway Musical entitled Do Re Mi; with music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The lyrics are pretty simple when you see them on paper…but hearing Jimmy Durante, with his famous gravelly voice, has a way of casting a spell on you. Suddenly, the lyrics become larger than life.
If you allow your mind to drift off, and let the words just sink in; the words become the Holy Grail to happiness. When you cut away all the fat in life, and you are just down to the meat of the matter, life is pretty simple. It’s about finding someone to love…and having them love you in return.
Watching Dr. Phil every night as I do, for the vast majority of people who appear on his show; their problems center around two things. One, they have never learned to love themselves. Or two, they fell in love with the wrong person. Out of either of those two situations, a malignancy will manifest itself down the road.
Those of us lucky enough to have someone in our lives we love, and who loves us in return; we have been blessed.
I look back on when my wife and I started dating in our late teens, and when I reflect on what an overwhelming task it is to commit to spending the rest of your life with someone…a smile comes over my face. How totally ill-equipped we were for the task. What is God’s name were we thinking? Yet, here we are almost 45 years later with 4 kids, and 6 grandkids.
To anyone reading this, keep it simple. Don’t let kids and possessions complicate things for you, because from the love which flows from the two of you, the rest of your family is nourished. Below is the Holy Grail for happiness. Cut these lyrics out and stick them on your frig.
Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy;
Make just one heart the heart you sing to.
One smile that cheers you,
One face that lights when it nears you,
One girl you're ev'rything to.
Fame if you win it,
Comes and goes in a minute.
Where's the real stuff in life to cling to?
Love is the answer,
Someone to love is the answer.
Once you've found her, build your world around her.
Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy,
And you will be happy, too.
Happy Valentine's Day, Steph!
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