Wasn't it the Beatles who claimed it was a "warm gun"? Then again, I am notorious for having screwed up lyrics to many a song in my day. I remember when I thought a particular Alice Cooper song was entitled "Fire" only to find out several renditions later I should have been singing "Body". Which is not what my blog today is about. It's about happiness. What makes you truly happy? Can happiness be ultimately controlled like the weather or a series of conscious choices? There was a book several years ago entitled just that: "Happiness is a Choice". I beg to differ. If it was just a choice, we'd all be happy wouldn't we?
There is a book which recently came out entitled "Bluebird" written by Ariel Gore. Her book is all about women and the psychology of happiness. Reading this book has gone beyond blowing my hair back; it's knocked me off my chair it's so intense. I took it with me to the hospital THINKING I'd be reading something "light" post gallbladder surgery. This was not the case. I don't want to spoil it for the rest who haven't yet read this book...but if I could, I would make every woman in America read it beginning tomorrow. Yes, it's that good. Amazingly good. Beyond your wildest imagination good.
Sometimes we need to see the most difficult truths in the light of day in order to set ourselves free from bondages we don't even realize encircle us...and our lives. This book is like that. For example, did you know that during the Victoria era, the highest paid "nerve specialist" for women in this country made the equivalent of a million dollars each year ($60,000 at that time)? You'll never guess what treatment strategy he employed to treat his patients. I'm telling you, you will NEVER guess! Are you sitting down? He manually manipulated his clients' genitals to climax. I am not lying. As such, the prevading wisdom of that day was orgasm as a cure for virtually everything and anything that ailed women.
Things didn't get much better for women from there. To say women have been beaten down and kept down by our male-dominated culture over the course of time and history is the understatement of the universe. No, I am not a left of left-wing banner waving femi-nazi by any means. Yet I will say there are a LOT of men (beginning with Hippocrates) who owe women one HELL of an apology when it comes to NOT having understood us...or what makes us truly "happy". How sad is that? Very sad if you ask me...
The book is called "Bluebird" and has been written by Ariel Gore.
