A Short Guide to a Happy Life

FromtheauthorofBlessingsandStillLifewithBreadCrumbs,AnnaQuindlen’sclassicreflectiononameaningfullifeistheperfectgiftforgraduation,oranyoccasion.“Lifeismadeofmoments,smallpiecesofsilveramidstlongstretchesoftedium.Itwouldbewonderfuliftheycametousunsummoned,butparticularlyinlivesasbusyastheonesmostofusleadnow,thatwon’thappen.Wehavetoteachourselvesnowtolive,reallylive...tolovethejourney,notthedestination.”Inthistreasureofabook,AnnaQuindlen,thebestsellingnovelistandcolumnist,reflectsonwhatittakesto“getalife”—tolivedeeplyeverydayandfromyourownuniqueself,ratherthanmerelytoexistthroughyourdays.“KnowledgeofourownmortalityisthegreatestgiftGodevergivesus,”Quindlenwrites,“becauseunlessyouknowtheclockisticking,itissoeasytowasteourdays,ourlives.”HermotherdiedwhenQuindlenwasnineteen:“Itwasthedividinglinebetweenseeingtheworldinblackandwhite,andinTechnicolor.Thelightscameonforthedarkestpossiblereason....Ilearnedsomethingenduring,inaveryshortperiodoftime,aboutlife.Andthatwasthatitwasglorious,andthatyouhadnobusinesstakingitforgranted.”Buthowtolivefromthatperspective,tofullyengageinourdays?InAShortGuidetoaHappyLife,Quindlenguidesuswithanunderstandingthatcomesfromknowinghowtoseetheview,therichnessinliving.