Several years ago, after a family dinner conversation filled with ribbing dad (me), I screamed, "SOUTH OF FRANCE, PEOPLE... SOUTH OF FRANCE! When my then nine-year-old asked what that meant, I retorted, "That's where I wish I was right now!" Fast forward to the next Father's Day. I now own, not one, but two, coffee mugs that say, "South of France, people."
My family loves nothing more than to mock me.
I have long wondered what it would be like to live in a foreign country, and on multiple occasions, we as a family have had discussions over dinner about where we would like to move and why.
My wife has her ideal destination as somewhere warm and close to a beach. She has specifically mentioned the Mediterranean or Central America. Having lived in Arizona most of my life, I dream of a cooler climate and four seasons. Canada or any of the Nordic countries would do just fine by me. My kids? They don't care as long as there is good wi-fi!
Seeing as Canada would not be THAT much of a leap, let's stick with Northern Europe. Switzerland is stunning, and the music and culture of Austria are second to none. Germany has a killer economy, and I have heard that Prague is the prettiest city in all of Europe. But my ultimate destination is Denmark.
The Danish people and their Nordic counterparts have long been known as home to the world's happiest people. For the past 60 years, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) has been tracking ten characteristics that lead to happiness, including income, work-life balance, education, community, and general life satisfaction. Denmark scored 9.7 out of 10.
The United States score? A distant 7.4.
When you ask a Danish person why they are so happy, they are likely to answer with just one word, hygge. Defined by Websters, "acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cozy, charming or special, hygge (pronounced hue-guh) is a defining characteristic of Danish culture and life."
Denmark is not alone in this sentiment, and each Nordic country has its own version of the term (lagom-Switzerland, kalsarikännit-Finland). Still, all the terms boil down to the concept of setting modest expectations and being happy and content with what you have.
The concept of modesty of abundance and accepting one's station in life is decidedly un-American. In addition to being the land of the brave and home of the free, we are also home to those that want more, do more, and achieve more. I suspect that this drive is the root cause of both America's success and our unhappiness. Americans do and achieve GREAT things (think three vaccines in 10 months), but we seem incapable of stopping afterward, taking a breath, celebrating our achievement, and being content with what we have accomplished.
The chances of me moving to Denmark (or the South of France) are zero. I love where I am and the life I have created. But that does not mean we all couldn't use a little more hygge.
During last Tuesday night's webinar, I asked all of the attendees to rate how they were doing emotionally on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best. One respondent stated, "I am a 3, and I don't know why." I responded, "I know why! YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC; YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FEEL LOUSY!"
That got a pretty good chuckle out of the room. But, it's true.
Listen, I doubt if any of your spring concerts were as good as they were pre-pandemic, and many of you are seeing declines in musical skill sets and ensemble achievement. I am also guessing that lower enrollment numbers for the upcoming fall are keeping you up at night. Seeing all of this might have some of you feeling down, dejected, or despondent.
Hygge people.
Maybe, just for now, it's okay for our groups to be just okay. Perhaps, we should accept the concert for what it was, the kids for who they are, and worry about those in front of us instead of those who aren't. This is not embracing mediocrity so much as accepting reality.
Do this for your students, for the profession, and your sanity. Be content that you are healthy, have a job, and are surrounded by people who love you. You made it through the worst by being at your best.
Next year will be better—a time when you can start anew and kick some serious backside. But consider the possibility that for the next couple of weeks, we should take a moment, take a breath, and celebrate being okay. Celebrate the wrong notes, missed classes, and bad internet. Celebrate the masks, the social distancing, and air hugs. Celebrate that you are alive and able, and that for now, that is enough.
Hygge.
As for me, I might need a new mug. One that says, "South of Denmark, people... South of Denmark!
Have a great week.
- Scott