It's easy to find someone to wish you a Happy New Year. Strangers do it. Even people who don't like you do it. It's far more rare is to find someone who will tell you how to achieve it.
I am that rare someone. I intend, before this column ends, to present you with the secret of happiness. Call it a New Year's gift.
But first let me tell you about happiness's evil twin -- unhappiness. Unhappiness is New York City after an 18-inch snowfall.
It happened over the holidays and the Big Apple came to a dead stop. Planes stopped flying, buses stopped busing. And as for cars -- fuhgeddaboudit.
New Yorkers took this with the calm equanimity usually reserved for large fires in crowded theaters. They screamed, they wailed, they moaned. They blamed their mayor, a billionaire-philosopher-statesman named Michael Bloomberg, founder of the eponymous financial news and data empire.
He didn't give them enough warning, New Yorkers charged. The warning he gave them was weak. He was slow to declare a "snow emergency." He didn't get side streets cleared for days.
The Mayor, after some defensiveness, took the fall and apologized to his constituents. He promised to do better in the future.
But let's face it folks, you can declare all the snow emergencies you want. Eighteen inches of snow is still 18 inches of snow. And in a densely packed city like New York, it's going to create a big mess.
This is particularly true when you've recently let go of some 400 sanitation workers (the snow removal people) to cut your budget.
But New York's anger at Bloomberg's performance is as nothing compared to the wrath incurred by President Barack Obama in his two short years in office.
Republicans have excoriated him for extending health care insurance to the poor, failing to create more jobs and over-regulating banks and industry, trying to stimulate the economy, and daring to take up the agenda of the gay rights movement.
Democrats, on the other hand, have blamed him for coddling banks and industry, not extending health care even further, failing to end the wars he inherited, and trying to compromise with Republicans who wish him dead.
It's as though the whole country had an 18-inch snowfall, all at once.
Yet, at the end of his two-year apprenticeship, he can point to a remarkable list of achievements, given the hard road he had to travel.
His policies pulled the economy out of its freefall. The banks and corporations he bailed out with government money have repaid much, if not most, of it. He got a health care bill passed, giving at least 32 million people a chance at coverage they'd never had. He extended jobless benefits for millions of the long-term unemployed in time for the holiday season. He got an arms reduction treaty with the Russians passed by the Senate. He cleared the way for the end to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in our military. He got a financial reform package passed that will do some good in preventing another financial meltdown. He moved toward withdrawal of our combat troops in Iraq.
That's not chopped liver. OK, he also extended the Bush tax cuts for the rich, a lousy move forced upon him by a Senate Republicans. And he had to agree to keep throwing money (uselessly, I think) at our mythical missile defense system.
That's politics. That's compromise. It's our system of government.
Wouldn't it be terrible if we had a great president and we didn't notice?
And so at last we come to the secret of happiness:
I don't mean to imply you should accept shoddy work or failure, but less than perfection? Oh yes, that you should accept.
Because that's the way life is. Not perfect.
They say that perfect is the enemy of good and I think that's right. It is also the enemy of happy.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.