“Humans are cowards in the face of happiness.”
I first heard this quote in high school, when I watched my now-favorite movie for the first time, “Kamikaze Girls. “ The film’s protagonist, Momoko, says this to her mother who is questioning getting a divorce and risk leaving her daughter. Momoko responds by saving “Humans are cowards in the face of happiness. You need courage to hold onto happiness. Don’t miss your last chance to grasp it.”
At first, even though she was a fictional character, I could not wrap my head around Momoko’s words. It seemed so profound, unlike anything I had ever heard before. After all, don’t we as individuals tend to pursue what makes us happy without any hesitation? I always thought that was how I lived my life – without holding myself back from anything; certain of myself, my interests, and would do anything to pursue my dreams.
Nearly five years later, I finally understand how humans are truly “cowards in the face of happiness.” This revelation came to me thousands of feet in the air, when I was on an Osaka bound flight from New York to pursue my lifelong dream of studying in Japan. Both the Japanese language and culture have been interests of mine since I was a child, so I certain that when the moment came for me to travel to Japan I wouldn’t be anything aside from ecstatic.
But as I sat there on the plane, alone, distracting myself from the reality that lay ahead of me with a good book, I realized I was absolutely terrified. I’d be arriving in a new land where I did not know anyone and leaving my family, friends, and loved ones behind for four months. Even though this was what I had been dreaming of for over 10 years and I knew I would come to cherish the experience that waited for me, the lump of fear in my throat wouldn’t go away no matter how hard I swallowed and my heart couldn’t help dropping to the pit of my stomach.
That, I realized, was what Momoko meant when she said “Humans are cowards in the face of happiness.” Although we all have our own unique passions, hobbies, and interests that drive us to pursue our goals and dreams in live, when we finally get to that point of attaining that goal we find ourselves frozen with fear. Disbelief that our dreams are finally becoming a reality. Fear of the unknown and what will happen next when we finally take that step. This can be applied to anything – applying for that long-sought for dream job, moving away from home for the first time, or even starting a new relationship.
However, it is our own determination that allows to swallow that ball in our throats, to take the next step, walk through the doors to a new office, pack and unpack our lives, or start sharing it with someone we’re bound to fall in love with.
So, dear Holly Divas, don’t be a “coward in the face of happiness” – take the chance, go ahead what you love, and I guarantee while it may be frightening, you will end up finding happiness.
Photo credit: Flickr User Lilli Rang