“Bound is the boatless man” (Viking proverb).

Today’s itinerary would have included a bike ride through Copenhagen, going past places of cultural significance to Danes. While these are naturally also popular tourist attractions, it warrants looking beyond the “social media opportunity” and understanding the value (happiness) these places hold for us.

One of the stops was the Little Mermaid along the shore of “Langelinie”, the old port area of the harbor by Nyhavn.  She sits on a rock on a place once known as Mermaid Bank, looking at the sun over the horizon. This small statue was given to the city of Copenhagen in 1913 by Carl Jacobsen, the founder of the famous Carlsberg Beer and is inspired by the fairy tale “The Little Mermaid” by the Danish author H.C. Andersen.  While this fairy tale is honestly fairly sad and dark, there are so many lessons that relate to Danish values and happiness. The two I want to point out are:

1. Nothing in life is served to you on a silver platter. If you want something, you must be willing to sacrifice a significant amount.  You can’t have it both ways.  In other words, nothing is free in this world. Danes have a high social support network, but also pay high taxes. That social support provides security and studies have shown a direct link to the overall perception of “happiness” in Denmark. They believe that a well-functioning society provides people opportunities to pursue individual dreams and fulfillment. And, because of our fundamental belief in equality, everybody contributes to this society, nobody is “better” and therefore exempt.
2.  Be careful chasing happiness that is attached to "I will be happy when...".  It is like chasing daylight, always just beyond the horizon. In our obsession of reaching a fantasy, we end up sacrificing everything that makes us unique, our special talents, and our heritage just to become “seafoam” at the end (you will need to read the story to understand the seafoam ;-) ).  In other words, you lose yourself completely and you never find real happiness.  You may by now have heard about “hygge”, a concept that is commonly translated as “coziness”, but that is just because of the lack of a better word in English.  “Hygge” is so more than coziness because it is rooted in the ability to be content and appreciate with what you have, who you are with, and where you are at right now.  The ability to make this moment count because you see the good, instead of focusing on the “bad”.  This is also why we can appreciate simplicity so much more.  It doesn’t take stuff and status to be happy, or to have “hygge”.  It takes a positive mindset.

There are a few more aspects how this tiny statue relates so much to the topic for this trip.

• It is very small and many tourists are honestly disappointed when they stop to take a picture of her.  That is because they are looking for the wrong thing. Happiness is not dependent on size or the outward appearance.  It is appreciating the meaning and the moment.
• The statue was reveal to the public in 1913 as part of Copenhagen’s plan to decorate our public parks and spaces with art and classical figures.  One of such parks is the King’s Gardens and Rosenborg Slot.  The history of Rosenborg Slot and King’s Gardens are interesting just on their own, but I want to point out quickly the many public parks and spaces we have in Denmark that allow citizens to relax, play, be alone or with others, and get fresh air.  A study from Århus University showed an incredible correlation between access to green spaces and vegetation and lower risks of mental health concerns.  I am not an expert in mental health, but even see a connection to some of our other values, such as a strong focus on equality. In a public space, everybody is equal and enjoying life equally. We do not like showing off or bragging.  In fact, you will quickly find out how much we dislike it.  In a public space or park, people come to enjoy what is equal to everybody: nature, fresh air, and a little time to relax.

There were many more stops on our itinerary today, but I will end with a quick comment about the bike ride.  When you are in Copenhagen, you will see a lot (!) of people using bikes, walking, or using public transportation.  There are reasons for that, including the fact that many of our medieval streets no longer allow vehicles.  We also have a strong commitment to our environment.  True to our values of equality and disgust of greed, Danes feel that the environment is there to share.  It has provided for us and it is our duty to make sure it can continue to provide for the next generation. 

Consider also how much more you can see if you are riding a bike than just driving by in a car.  You get to take your time and enjoy so much more instead of just crossing of another item on the itinerary. And finally, Danes are also not afraid of moving J  Health and happiness are closely related and … if you want something in this life, you will need to put some effort into it.

So, in the spirit of experiencing as much as possible of our planned trip, I will tonight go for a bike ride and enjoy the beautiful gifts I have.  Right after devouring a Danish meal J And some more gløgg …J