I can't hear the music

As I was walking my mile around the park today, counting squirrels, I was musing over the things that seem to make people happy, or at least make them feel like they are happy.

It began when someone posted a video on Facebook of a woman older than me dancing at the end of an aisle at a liquor store. That video made this person wildly happy, or so she said. It did not do that for me. I wondered if the woman had already been imbibing, or if she was so lonely and desperate for attention she felt compelled to do this strange thing?

Then my mind wandered to the young men toting a bag of ice and a shiny beer keg up to a house. Where do we get this idea that doing crazy things like drinking until we throw up, or pass out, or lose control of our bowels, is fun and cool and makes us part of the "IN" crowd? Who else is in this "IN" crowd and how does this behavior make their life better? Or perhaps, why do they believe it is fun?  It's like people who jump up and down shouting, "Who hoo!" at concerts. I can't hear the music doing that. I really don't understand.

I think we foster a lot of wrong ideas in our society and people who don't think simply grab hold of them for dear life hoping it makes them that elusive something they want to be. Actually finding out what adds to the quality of my own life, what makes me happier in the long run, what makes my heart warm and my mind joyful feels like a wiser choice. I suppose that is different for everyone.

By the way, I counted eleven squirrels on this insanely beautiful brisk Fall walk around the park.