(And What the Stars Know That We Forgot)
Even the stars are moving.
We chase happiness like a finish line.
Clear the inbox.
Scrub the dishes.
Wait for silence — and hope stillness will deliver joy.
And yes — there’s peace in stillness.
But happiness?
Happiness has a different rhythm.
The Joy Hidden in Motion
Happiness often arrives in action.
Not the frantic kind. Not hustle or noise or obligation.
But the kind of motion that comes from participating in something that matters.
This kind of motion feels like alignment, not exhaustion. It doesn’t burn you out — it brings you back.
A walk that turns into a brainstorm.
A messy sketch that unlocks an idea.
A task completed not because you had to, but because you chose to.
The Illusion of Stillness
The modern world tells us to calm down. To meditate. To rest.
All good things — unless we begin to think stillness is the only way to feel whole.
Sometimes we mistake paralysis for peace.
Stillness becomes our safe zone. Our shield against disappointment.
But without movement, meaning can stagnate.
(I talk more about the cultural myth of happiness-as-stillness in this longer piece).
Even the stories we love don’t rest forever.
The hero has to leave the house. The traveler must walk. The spell must be broken.
Happiness in Motion: A Note From the Past
The following was written in 2022 and rediscovered recently —
a reminder from a former self, still resonant:
Happiness comes from doing things. There can be joy in contemplation, but that’s more akin to peace. Activity and the rush of action bring a different kind of happiness. It kind of makes sense to me, since change is the constant state of the universe. We are happier when we, too, change and participate in the universe’s motion.
Originally written on April 24th, 2022 – rediscovered, still true.
Want the big-picture context?
There’s poetry in motion — and science, too.
If you’re curious why meaningful movement works on a neurological level:
→ Here’s the science behind happiness in motion.
This reflection is part of a larger thread on rewriting joy into our stories.
→ Read: “How to Be Happy and Have a Fun Life (Even If the Western Canon Wants You to Be Miserable)”
You Are Allowed to Move Again
Happiness doesn’t wait for stillness.
It often lives in choosing, doing, engaging.
In becoming, rather than freezing.
So if you’re stuck, try moving — not fast, but true.
Lore Fragment Prompt:
What’s one small action you’ve been delaying — not out of resistance, but fear of imperfection?
Write it down. Name it. Begin.
Choose one thing.
One task.
One change.
And let the motion show you the way back.
You don’t need to be perfectly still to be whole.
Even the stars are moving.
You can too.
Keep the Motion Going
If this stirred something in you, follow the thread:
→ Browse Lore Fragments – poetic reflections and rediscovered wisdom
→ Begin a narrative quest – for those ready to move with purpose and clarity
Joy lives in motion. Let’s walk it together.
