A recent conversation with Lucas while driving:

Lucas: Are you happy?

Me: Yes, I’m happy.

Lucas: Are you happy when you say, “What the heck!”? (He mimics my annoyance brilliantly. Perhaps a future thespian?)

Me: (stifled laugh) Oh, you mean when I said, “What the heck!” about that truck that pulled out in front of us back there? (Me and my audible commentary on everyone else’s driving!)

 

If you’ve been reading my blog for even a couple of weeks, you’ll know that this “Are you happy?” thing has been going on for a while now. It’s Lucas’ favorite question. At first, we thought he was trying to gauge whether we were done being upset about something, as in: he’s written in ballpoint pen all over his sheets, and immediately after my outcry he asks, “Are you happy?”, perhaps hoping for a yes, so he can get back to playing.

Then, after last week’s meltdown at Seaport Village, he followed the “Are you happy?” question with, “Do you love me?” which led me to believe he was trying to figure out how the love and the happiness were related – or not. It was a reasonable assumption.

Even more recently, he’s been asking the happy question in the car, usually right after I’ve made a comment about something that was not making me feel very happy. I live in California, so there are many opportunities to find unpleasant experiences while driving. (Side note: I have managed to almost entirely omit the occasional profanity that used to escape my lips within the isolated cocoon of my car. My cocoon-mate was beginning to swear at fellow drivers before he was two. Oops!)

Why this incessant questioning? Are you happy? Are you happy? Are you happy?

Yesterday it occurred to me what might be happening. I think he might be channeling Abraham.

Just kidding.

But let me explain. If you aren’t familiar with the Abraham/Hicks body of work on the Law of Attraction, it’s time you checked it out. It’s one of my favorite approaches to spiritual practice. I know I won’t do it justice here so please check out the website or one of their many books. In brief, the basic premise is that our emotions carry different vibrations ranging from low to high, and we can only draw to us, or attract, that which is a vibrational match to what we’re emitting. If we’re vibrating at, say, irritation, we will only attract or notice more things that match the vibration of irritation, (like bad drivers or traffic). So if we want to experience something more positive than irritation, it behooves us to find our way into a “better feeling place” so we can attract more positive experiences (like all green lights or nice people who let us merge). It’s all about taking responsibility for our emotions. We really can choose to feel different in any moment.

It’s easier said than done, but I think it’s worth the effort to embrace the practice.

All of this is what came to mind after our most recent exchange in the car. I noticed that every time I “chose” to be other than happy, Lucas would ask his question. It occurred to me that perhaps he’s not wondering if I’m happy at all. Maybe the intent of the question is more along the lines of, “Are you choosing happiness right now?” but, let’s face it, he’s only two. What if the question is his way of reminding me to practice the Law of Attraction, which I so easily forget to do?

Maybe he really is the teacher and I am the student. Maybe we take turns. Who knows? Whatever the case, it beats the heck out of putting sticky-notes everywhere to remind myself to choose a better-feeling thought. If I look at it this way, then for the duration of his love affair with the question, I can use it as my reminder to check in with my emotions, and take responsibility for getting them where I want them to be.

Namaste’ dear Lucas.