40. That's the plain truth

Happiness is subjective and measured in different ways in different cultures.75% of people report being moderately to very happy , whilst 25% report being not very happy or unhappy - which seems a lot to me. The World Happiness Report is the provider of data on this issue.

Finland, Denmark and Iceland are the happiest nations with scores of 8 out of 10.The bottom countries are Afghanistan and Lebanon with scores of 2 out of 10. The USA is outside the top 20 scoring 6.5. About 50% of our happiness is genetic, 10% is down to circumstances, and 40% is down to our own actions, behaviors and objectives. Clinical depression effects about 3.8% of the world's population. The good news is the majority of us are happy with out lot

How do people assess their life as they get older ? I've written a blues song about one mans view of his own life. I think its in my top 5 songs. I guess how you measure a successful life changes with age. When your young its all about achievement and potential, in mid life its about your contribution and leaving a possible legacy. Towards the end its all about meaning and finding peace. Numerous psychological frameworks have been designed to enable an assessment of a life, such as Robert Butlers Life Review Process. Commonly people look at relationships and love, purpose and accomplishments, regrets, what if’s, resilience, overcoming hardship, personal growth and then physical and mental health. In the end, it's about what story you have to tell and if in your own mind you had ‘a good life’ Erick Erikson refers to a hard-won peace and if you are able to say, ‘It was what it was, and it was good’ 

I for one think I could say that. I have lovely adult children, grandchildren and an adorable partner . PS I'm not the easiest to live with ! – I'm writing this at mind night !

This is song about a man who believes he has worked out the meaning of life and that there is definitely no afterlife.  He sings, ‘Pick your paradise. We're not, coming back. That's the plain truth. The key to life. Is the promise, of youth’ . In short hand this means whatever religion you follow, there is no paradise or heaven afterwards. Worst still, life is also about early promise and what you do when you are young. Once your middle aged its all over ! Remind me not to invite him round for dinner , he would be a hoot at  a party !

He then provides more details about his life i.e. ‘Nowhere to go, nobody to go with No idea, who I am. My life story, is a myth. We all ware masks, God-dame. Complaining, leaves a trail .Why did I take off and run. Fight a powerful female .Fail to understand, my son’.  Its sounds like he feels a bit worthless, having left his wife and son. He might also be suggesting that we all have similar issues to deal with i.e. we are all wearing masks ? Not sure that’s right .But no, he then suggests he is an example of what not to do and its all down to money, ‘Money, was the enemy to. It's why, I stopped caring. I'm what, you must not do’ – well they say the love of money is the root of all evil.

He confides to the listener, ‘Never thought, about legacy. Tried to be a big dog.’ Then he suggests he has reached a crossroad, ‘Now at a tipping point. Slamming the brakes on.’ He does not seem to be in a happy place. He is also lonely, ‘ No-one, no one, left to mourn.’’

Finally he admits all, singing, ‘ Everything I did, was a lie. As evidence began to dawn. Parts of me started to die’ – I love the line ‘parts of me wanted to die’ – I think at the very least most of us have felt a bit of this over time. Sounds like its all over ‘I’m done, at the age, I feel. Only as a good, as my last song That's all. The rest, it ain’ t real. It ain ’t real’. 

He ends by repeating his message, ‘Pick your paradise. We're not, coming back’ – happy little soul !