One Someone Happy/Live It!

"Fame, if you win it, comes and goes in a minute."
Where does fame come from, anyway?

Building your life's pursuit around gaining fame is like drawing a masterpiece with your finger on a fogged-up mirror. Even if you manage to "win it," it is so fleeting.

Fame is based on people's knowledge and impression of you and is dependent on their desire to be exposed to more of you. It's a very shallow relationship with a distant audience, built on minute bits of controlled exposure. It's a vapor that's gone as soon as your fan base gets tired of you.

Not very real. And Jimmy Durante asks a good question in his song, "Make Someone Happy": "Where's the real stuff in life to cling to?"

Again, I have to think Durante knew what he was talking about. How many of his fellow entertainers do you suppose failed in show business? How many hopes did Jimmy see dashed? He knew there had to be something more substantial to build life around than fame.

His answer? Love. Not a whole lot of explanation with that. Simply, find "Someone to love..." It apparently rang true for Jimmy. Does that ring true for you? You have to put effort into it. The singer described the process as building "your world around her."

As with anything good or important, love takes work and time. Rather than the ecstatic or syrupy emotion of fairy tales, true love is a commitment to make someone (other than yourself) happy. It's a decision that you make once that is reaffirmed on a daily basis. And it's a promise that you purpose to keep, regardless of fleeting feelings or life circumstances.

Hard to do? Yes. Do I recommend it? Heartily.

One Someone Happy/Go Deep

So, does being an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor qualify you to give advice?

No, but it doesn't disqualify you either. Especially when you appear to live the advice you give.

When James Francis “Jimmy” Durante sang the song, "Make Someone Happy," I wonder if he was thinking about his own life?

The first verse of the song encourages men to focus their attentions on just one woman. It speaks of a mutually exclusive and reciprocal relationship. The man chooses to "sing to" only her heart--to pursue and win only one woman. That's a far cry from the multiple lovers, casual sex culture of today.

And yet, I'm betting that serious surveys on the topic would reveal (and possibly already have) that a majority of women desire an individual man who will dedicate himself to them alone.

Jimmy's tune continues with advice about how the man should observe and respond to the woman as he pursues her. He should dedicate himself to giving the woman something to smile about, a reason for her face to light up when he walks in the room. The payback to him is happiness.

Guys, I've been married nearly 35 years and I've got to tell you, one of my greatest pleasures is in seeing my wife smile and feeling her pleasure when I walk through the door. It truly does make me happy to see my wife happy.

Jimmy came from a different era. I happen to believe he only sang about things he believed in. A quick review of his personal history indicates that he took his own advice when it came to relationships. Jimmy was married to his first wife for more than 20 years before she passed away. It was many years before he married again. But when he did, he remained married to his second wife, Marjorie Little, until his own death.

He was a one-woman man. And, being a piano-playing singer, I'm betting he spent a lot of time wooing his woman as only he could.

More on this later in the week.

One Someone Happy/Think About It

Continuing my series on great theological thinkers:
Let's consider Jimmy Durante.

You know, "The Schnoz," singer, dancer and comedian that was one of America's most popular entertainers for many years, starting in the 1920's.

Okay, if that doesn't help, maybe this will. Remember when your wife (or girlfriend) rented the Tom Hanks movie, "Sleepless in Seattle"? Can't forget that! (If you managed to stay awake, right?). Well, the soundtrack from that movie may be even more popular than the movie. And the soundtrack included two Jimmy Durante recordings.

One of Jimmy's songs was stuck in my head this Saturday as I worked around the house doing chores that my wife can't easily do because of a medical condition. The title is "Make Someone Happy" and the lyrics are below.

Read through them and give them some thought. Believe it or not, Jimmy delivers a powerful message for good living. We'll talk about what he said mid-week.

Make Someone Happy

Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy;
Make just one heart the heart you sing to.
One smile that cheers you,
One face that lights when it nears you,
One girl you're ev'rything to.

Fame, if you win it,
Comes and goes in a minute.
Where's the real stuff in life to cling to?
Love is the answer,
Someone to love is the answer.
Once you've found her, build your world around her.

Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy,
And you will be happy, too.