Today began like any other on this trip. We woke up, ate breakfast, and set out on the streets that have become somewhat familiar to us, making our way to the Central Station. We then took a train to a small(ish) seaside Danish town called Roskilde, where we were greeted by bright yellow buildings with clay shingling and cobblestone roads, which were surprisingly well-maintained.
When we stopped for a cup of coffee (or, in my case, an oversized brownie) at a local café, the true charm of the town- and of this area as a whole- really popped out at me: Everything around us was beautiful, but in a subtle, natural way. Outside the café, there were three fountains shaped like giant vases. They were incredibly simple, elegant, and unobtrusive. Inside the brick shop, the ceiling was modestly adorned with white wood carvings in its center, and along its edges. Even the lights that hung from it casually resembled tulips, each crafted from six sizeable panes of stained glass. Nothing about the place was regal or indulgent... it was just pleasant.
When we ventured further into the town, the place started to look like something from a movie. Trees and bushes lined the roads, a breeze from the sea carrying their flowers' scent between the various shops and homes. The roads even catered to the natural curve of the town's hills, it's stones angled slightly downward between the aging Roskilde Cathedral and it's surrounding structures.
As we walked through the area, I caught myself thinking that maybe *this* is why the Danes are so happy... The architecture, the art, and the abundance of organic beauty. Thinking further, though, I noted that I've felt these feelings before. I've felt Roskilde's comfort and warmth back home, when hiking along Chester Creek, when at work and watching children play, and even when feeding/observing my fish.
Yesterday, our good friend Holly suggested that Danes are so happy because they experience "hygge" (basically, cosiness derived from the people and/or the environment around us) in small yet frequent doses. I think that there is some truth to this. In Roskilde, for example, hygge was incredibly easy to obtain, given the natural feeling of the place. Even so, the same sense of contentment and comfort can be seen in the most average of places. More than anything, I think it is a matter of personal perspective.
Danes are raised on the idea of hygge, and because of this, I think they are more active about seeking it out in their everyday lives. I know it isn't fair to generalize, but *in general* it seems like they see the world through rose-colored glasses. They find pleasure in passing moments and simple beauty, a skill our culture as a whole could work on improving.
In the end, I don't think it is the environment that makes these people so happy (though it certainly doesn't hurt). It is the mindset. In order to enjoy something, we must be able to get past the stressors in our lives and the pain in our ankles and give that 'something' our full attention. A city as beautiful as Roskilde means nothing to someone who lacks the capacity to see past herself.
-EH
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