William StaffordI heard a bird congratulating itselfall day for being a jay. Nobody cared. But it was gladall over again, and said so, again.
About This Quote
One of the most common problems in life is that we all feel guilty for being happy. We feel bad about our happiness because we feel it’s wrong to be happy. It’s a sign of weakness, of a lack of control, and a sign that we’re not a good person. The idea that we must feel bad about being happy is a result of the way people have been raised.
People have been taught that they should not be happy because it makes them look crazy. They should feel guilty for being so happy and so selfish. But, if you think about it, this idea is completely backwards.
If you’re glad all over again after being so sad, how could you possibly have been so sad? You must have been happy at some point or else you would never have had any reason to feel sorry for yourself.
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More Quotes By William Stafford
- Wisdom is having things right in your lifeand knowing why.
- A writer is not so much someone who has something to say as he is someone who has found a process that will bring about new things he would not have thought of if he had not started to say them.
- I heard a bird congratulating itselfall day for being a jay. Nobody cared. But it was gladall over again, and said so, again.
- This dream the world is having about itselfincludes a trace on the plains of the Oregon trail, a groove in the grass my father showed us allone day while meadowlarks were trying to tellsomething better about to happen.
- If you don't know the kind of person I amand I don't know the kind of person you area pattern that others made may prevail in the worldand following the wrong god home we may miss our star.