The Great Secret

Make them happy, then check that it makes you happy

photo by author; artwork by a street sweeper at Disney World, who apparently just felt like making something pretty from the petals and leaves he was cleaning up

So it happened that the Seeker came upon the Wise Listicle Maker waiting for an Uber, and demanded that they should explain the great secret of earning the love of a desired one while standing on one foot.

WLM: You want me to stand on one foot?

SEEKER: No, that’s me. See? One foot. The left, in this case. Anyway, the great secret. Go.

WLM: Okay, first bullet point —

SEEKER: NO NO NO! No listicle! Just one thing. The great secret!

WLM: You mean The Great Secret. Title case.

SEEKER: Whatever. Go.

WLM: No prob. Okay, The Great Secret to earning the love of the one you desire is to make them happy. And my phone just buzzed so my ride is almost here, so —

SEEKER: Nope, sorry, still on one foot, being reminded that I twisted that ankle a couple weeks ago and I should have picked the other one, but you didn’t answer the question completely, you just gave me a subtitle. This is a conversation, not a clickbait article. And talk faster, I’m getting wobbly.

WLM: Sorry, friend, but that’s it. Make them happy. Listen to them when they talk about what makes them happy. Watch them when they are being happy. Be around them when they are not happy, and make things better if you can, or at least not worse if you can’t. Do what it takes to be a source — not THE source, just one of many — of their happiness. And if them being happy isn’t the center of YOUR happiness? Then they are not the right one for you. And — whoa, you okay?

SEEKER: I’m good, the bushes broke my fall, I’m good. Your ride’s here, go on.

WLM: Title: The Great Secret. Subtitle: Make them happy, then check that it makes you happy. All else is just filler to increase the read time. Good luck, I’m outa here!

SEEKER: Thanks! See ya!

Pause.

SEEKER: Hello? Anybody around? Little help here?