your Eggplant Parmesan is a disgrace to this house!

One of my Favorite Sitcoms of all time is Seinfeld. I feel it is awesome. I own a poster copy of The Kramer, I own every season on DVD (bought before blue rays became affordable, I have read books about the show. Yes, I am a nerd. The show is a break through because it was the first show where the main characters display almost no moral compass, but have a type of popular scruples. Case in point one episode the gravest offence is to be guilty of picking one’s nose. While lying, cheating, making fun of someone is only offensive if ones get caught and society determines that your conduct was unacceptable.

One of my favorite characters is Frank Costanza played by the amazing Jerry Stiller. The character speaks to me because he reminds me of me, and not in a good way. I like Frank because he loves those around him but his anger gets in the way: One time telling his wife “your meatloaf is mushy, your salmon croquettes are oily, and your eggplant parmesan is a disgrace to this house.” He even when as far make up a holiday: Festivus. Where the capstone to the celebration is the “Airing of Grievances.” When you tell your loved ones all the ways they have disappointed you. In the final Season of the series Frank gets help…. kind of. He sees a professional about his anger and is given the prescription to yell “Serenity Now” whenever he gets angry. This of course does not work and causes much consternation in the coincidental humor that is makes Seinfeld amazingly entertaining.

I was reminded of all this as I was following a feed on Instagram by Empowered living. It showed a stack of rocks with the words “Learn to be calm and you will always be happy.” While I am not sure that I agree with the affect of the photo or even the effect of the saying. I have to admit that the times I have found the most contentment in my life are times when I have been able to produce calm in my life and not just on vacation, but even in the middle of surprised chaos I have had moments of calm. This breath of calmness allowed me to see a path through the crazy and allowed me to progress through it. I do not think that calm state of mind produces happiness. I do think it is a strong component of it.

SERENITY NOW!

Eggplant Parmesan, Finding Serenity Now,