We are excited. We catch the train from London’s Euston Station for Liverpool’s Lime Station. Why? Charles has arranged for us to attend a Liverpool vs Fulham match at Anfield Stadium.

Game Day. On this Saturday we uber to Anfield for a tour. Even at 9ish in the morning, there are hundreds and thousands of fans making their way to the stadium. Along with twenty or so fans from Germany, Italy, South Africa, Norway, Great Britain, and the USA (us), we walk through the stadium, see the famous “This is Anfield” sign, sit on seats next to the “pitch,” and hear about the history of Liverpool United football from two tour guides.

The guides are philosophical. As they talk about Liverpool’ performance this year “we aren’t playing well recently,” they mirror the groaning of our sons. Nobody expects them to be in 5^th place in the Premier League! As the guides also sadly describe Liverpool’s history of tragedies (one of their best young players died in a car crash in Portugal this past July), they repeat the words of true fans: “Stick by the team in good and bad.”

We even get our photos in the media room. Our family is grinning with the opportunity of being photographed together in this place.

After leaving, we proceed to the museum. What a history! From trophies, to clippings from amazing goals, to the displays focusing upon great managers and players, to the tragedy of approximately 100 Liverpool fans killed and another 766 injured when bleachers collapsed at a Sheffield’s Hillsborough Stadium match. The tragedy was the most severe in British sports history. Investigations over the cause of the tragedy and who to hold accountable continued for years.

Returning to our hotel, we rest and escape the cold, then back to Anfield. Although the stadium holds only 62,000, the atmosphere is like attending a University of Georgia home game. Fans are loud. Fans are excited. Fans feel as though every other Liverpool fan is family. In fact, the fans directly next to me are visiting from Sweden. When I tell them that my grandfather is from Smoland, one exclaims “I’ve got family there!”

The fans explode when Salah, the crowd favorite and one of the older-players at 33, scores a goal. Liverpool 1-0. Fans chant over and over. “Salah, Salah, Salah.” For most of the game, Liverpool holds onto this lead. Then, with not much time in the match, the 17-year-old Rio, Liverpool’s youngest player, scores a goal. 2-0. Once again, the fans go wild. As Charles says, “Book ends. The first score by the team’s oldest star who is leaving the team this summer; the last score by the team’s newest star who we hope will be as good as Salah is.” In the 88^th minute, Liverpool substitutes for Salah. The fans know how to respond. The ovation continues for minutes.

As we uber back to our hotel, I ask the family what will they remember about the game. Charles “the final score.” Dwight “Back to winning!” Christina “the excitement pre-game.” What will I remember “Seeing Charles, Christina and Dwight excited and grinning the whole time!”

Happiness! Some big-time thinkers associate happiness with overcoming obstacles and increasing one’s feeling of power. Some big-time thinkers associate happiness with accepting and living in peace with what one can control and what one can’t control. Some big-time thinkers say simply minimize the pain one feels and maximize those occurrences which gives one pleasure.

Other big-time thinkers insist that one’s pursuit of happiness is a paradox. If one directly pursues happiness, then one won’t find that happiness. If one pursues something else, then happiness may result indirectly. Along these lines, some big-time thinkers claim that folks should pursue living right, or, to use that quaint term, should pursue “virtue.” Another really, really Big-time Person suggested that “he who loses his life, will find it.” There is a paradox for you!

Back to the rather mundane trip to England. So many hours of planning events and experiences with the hope that Mary, Charles, Christina, and Dwight will thoroughly enjoy themselves while in England. I certainly have a big smile on my face with our attending this soccer match. Maybe there is something to this “Happiness Paradox.”