Finding Happiness in Lasagna: Lesson learned

As I reluctantly made my way to a friend’s house for a lasagna and tiramisu dinner, I couldn’t help but feel a bit sad and tired. Why was I even going to this dinner? Maybe I should’ve just stayed home instead.

But it was too late to turn back, so I went. Once there, everyone seemed to be in a great mood, gossiping and chatting while keeping an eye on the Italian “cook” who was obsessively arranging the lasagna noodles as if they were puzzle pieces. His wrinkled forehead and wild gesticulations were a source of amusement for the group, though I was preoccupied with my own thoughts.

Over drinks and as the lasagna baked, we delved into philosophical discussions, including my question about whether it was normal to feel disoriented and anxious from time to time. Here are a few of the conclusions we came to:

• It’s okay to be unhappy sometimes, but we can’t let it become a permanent state of mind. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
• Willpower is crucial for achieving our dreams, but it takes hard work and the willingness to fight our fears.
• We can’t always control everything in our lives, so sometimes it’s best to go with the flow and let things happen or let things go.

Despite the weighty topics, we managed to have a good time and enjoy the delicious food. In fact, the lasagna was so good that I almost forgot about my problems. The Italian cook even told us about the proposals he always gets when he cooks lasagna (spoiler: there are already 3 girls on his waiting list).

In the end, I realized that I can’t control everything in my life, but I can control how I choose to feel and act. So, just for today, I choose to take things one day at a time and embrace my true self, quirks and all. Overanalysing feelings over and over and over again is about as productive as trying to teach a cat to do algebra, so why not embrace life instead?