How to be Happy: Discovering the Talent of Charm

The flower in the top image is an 'Anthurium'.

Its flower language is 'cute'.

It is a plant characterized by its glossy, heart-shaped
part that looks like a flower
(a part of the leaf called a spathe).
Its appearance makes you want to stop and say, 'How cute.'

Today, I want to talk about that kind of 'cuteness'.

Actually, I didn't really like cats.
Of course, I thought they were cute.
But watching them made me feel somewhat uneasy.

When I looked at cats, I felt a sense of absurdity,
like seeing 'the office idol who has zero sales performance'.
And the person (or cat) in question had no awareness of it at all.
They don't come when called.

They don't follow instructions.
They only show affection when they feel like it.
Yet, they are forgiven for everything just by being 'cute'.
The serious employee inside me would try to call a meeting,

saying, 'Can we discuss the transparency of the evaluation system?'
On the other hand, dogs are different.
They have loyalty and work hard for their masters.

I believed that a way of life like a dog's
had value.
Working hard.
Being useful.

Being sincere.
Being humble.
I believed that such people should be evaluated.
That's why I didn't like cats,
who seemed to be loved without doing anything.

But one day, I realized something.
The person I should have been calling to a meeting wasn't a cat.
It was myself, who had assumed that 'being useful' and 'being loved'

were the same thing.

I didn't hate cats.

I was envious of them.
Somewhere along the way, I had lived thinking,

'I won't be accepted unless I provide value,'
'I won't be loved unless I'm useful to someone.'

That's why, every time I saw a cat whose very existence
was accepted, my own assumptions were shaken.
The Anthurium's flower language is 'cute'.
In the past, I had somewhat looked down on the value of being 'cute'.

But now it's different.
Soothing someone's heart.
Making them smile.

Putting them at ease.
That, too, is a wonderful talent and value.
Cats don't say anything about such things.

They are walking freely again today.

But every time I see them, I think.
It wasn't the cat I was envious of.
It was the way of life that allows you to relax your shoulders

and still be loved.

A way to be happy.
It is to know the talent called charm.
Working hard is a talent.

Being sincere is a talent.

And being able to gently soothe people's hearts is also a talent.
When you can acknowledge the talents you don't have,

the world looks a little kinder,

and I believe you have moved closer to happiness.

A book that influenced me in writing this article

'Nyaton: The Science of Cats (Expanded Edition)'

The reason I bought this book was very simple.
'Why are cats so disloyal?'
I wanted to know the answer to that mystery.

However, by the time I finished reading it, I, who had intended to question the cat, was the one questioning my own values.

You can't call yourself a cat lover without reading this.
...That might be a bit of an exaggeration.
But it is a book packed with the scientific charm of cats.

Whether you want to love cats more, or you are like me and have wondered, 'Why are cats the way they are?', you will surely find new discoveries.

In this book, cat behavior, feelings, five senses, physical abilities, genetics, coat color mechanisms, health and nutrition, and even advances in disease and medicine are explained scientifically based on the latest research.

Instead of ending with 'cats are just fickle,' you will understand 'why they act that way,' which will change the way you look at cats a little.

It is a book I recommend not only to cat lovers but also to anyone who has ever thought, 'Why are cats like that?'
Please check it out.

I have also compiled other 'ways to be happy' flowers
at the link below.
Please take as many as you need 🍀

Thank you for reading to the end.
I hope to see you in another article.
🍀 May you be happy 🍀