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Chasing rainbows

2 April was national ‘Find a Rainbow Day’. Did it pass you by? Who would have known it? But then just about every day is a national day of some sort (4 April was ‘National Walk Around Things Day’ for example!).

Here at Art of Brill HQ we are more interested in the rainbows though. Not because we are too lazy to walk around things – far from it – 2%ers have energy to spare! It’s more because rainbows have long been associated as symbols of hope and happiness to come. Think of the story of Noah, or the song ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ in The Wizard of Oz. Everyone knows there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

If we accept the beautiful colours of the rainbow as a metaphor for happiness, then it seems to us that there are broadly speaking four groups of people in the world.

Firstly, those who are comfortable with being discontented and would not even look at a rainbow because it might involve the effort of getting up and peering out of the window. For them rainbows mean rain.

Secondly, those that admire the vivid colours of the rainbow, enviously, but see it as something for other people. They might have a look. They might even marvel at the colours. But that pot of gold is for other people.

Thirdly, those who chase the rainbow to its end, believing that their happiness will come at some point in the future. This may be the next holiday or weekend or 5pm. Tragically, we have also known people who save up a list of all the things that will make them happy for when they retire – and then never get there.

And then there are those people who dive in to the rainbow. These are the rare few who have twigged that the pot of gold isn’t at the other end; it’s right here, right now. And it’s not cash. It’s something even more valuable. It’s happiness!

So our advice is to quit looking from afar. Stop waiting and wishing. Happiness is available, in every moment, if you know where and how to look. Don’t believe me? Check out the guy in this video and get excited about life.

James Hilton