A Bottle Of Sunshine

My son has a cd of kids' tunes from "Jack's Big Music Show" on Noggin, and thankfully, I like the songs. We get in the car and immediately he says, "Can we yisten to MY music?"

One of my favorite songs is called "Bottle of Sunshine", by the band MilkShake and if it weren't on the kid's cd, it could truly make it as a pop feel-good song. A one hit wonder, maybe, but fun and happy. I like it a lot and find myself singing it around the house while doing mundane chores. But it got me thinking- how often do feel-good songs make it? Don't people prefer the down and out songs, the heartbreakers, the angst and depression-filled melodies that tend to top the charts? I know I like those, too, but being a relatively happy person, I tend to prefer the happy songs. Am I the exception to the rule?

I started thinking about this, and I think maybe I am. I began thinking of my friends, my family, my acquaintances, and thought, "Oh my, I'm a freak!". My family is full of alcoholics and people who just can't seem to contribute to society on a regular basis. They can't hold jobs, they can't handle stress, they look to a bottle to fill the void. Thankfully, my brother is the exception to the rule, somehow being given the upbeat, good humor genes. Thankfully, I can also call him one of my best friends. Don't get me wrong, I have dark and unhappy moments, but for me they are just that- moments. I don't suffer from any medical issues other than insomnia, I've suffered several losses in my family in the last few years, and I have a somewhat stressful job, especially when you consider I don't get paid for it, but in the grand scheme of things, I'm pretty lucky. I'm flat out happy. Sans medication.

My friends are all over the place on the happiness scale, with several being "the world can't beat me" kind of people who fight to keep their heads above the water when things are thrown at them, and several needing medication to make it through the day. I only have 2 friends that I can think of that, no matter what is thrown in their face, they are still happy, still optimistic, still of the mindset that everything happens for a reason. Maybe this is why they are some of my closest friends, because I can easily identify with them. Or maybe they can identify with me. Who knows. One of those friends has the same sort of family that I have, and on top of it, her mother is dying of cancer. And yet, she is strong and happy and breaks down only when she reaches a breaking point, and then she dusts herself off, and climbs back on the horse of life. She amazes me. I have friends who think the smallest set back is the end of the world, and friends who forge ahead over whatever giant speedbump life sets in front of them. I have friends from every walk of life and with every interest you can imagine, and I love them all. But I can only imagine some of them being able to tolerate "Bottle of Sunshine." I imagine that some of them would yank the cd from the dashboard and fling it out the window.

Am I a freak because I am a happy, optimistic person? Maybe. Maybe I'm just lucky because, once I vent and get something out of my system, I'm fine. If I need to cry, I cry, and I'm done with it. If I need to scream, I scream, and I'm done with it. Very few things eat at me. I like to look forward to the life I will have and enjoy the life I have today- A healthy son, a strong marriage, good dogs (usually), and a job that, though it doesn't pay any of the bills, makes me feel fulfilled at the end of the day. I wish all my friends could enjoy a bottle of sunshine. Yes, maybe I am a freak that enjoys songs that are happy and upbeat and full of hope because I am happy. Maybe you can only appreciate happy songs when you are in a happy state of mind. I get that. And heck, I think I'd go see The Laurie Berkner Band in concert without my son right about now (ok, it might be better to bring him with), just because I like her happy songs as much as he does. If you enjoy happy music, you can watch some fun stuff here (warning- it's happy!.

For now, I'll leave you with a bottle of sunshine. I hope it lifts your spirits, one way or another.

Bottle Of Sunshine lyrics