If the company of good friends was a picture...

I'd imagine that if the company of good friends looked like something, it might look a little like a chandelier on a purple swirly ceiling with colorful lanterns and a whimsical curtain.

[In the weirdest way, this is reminiscent of Marc Chagall's "La Mariée" (The Bride). The way the lanterns don't really match the chandelier (why is a goat playing a violin?), the way everything stands out and blends together at the same time (the warm and cool colors), the wistfulness of the imagery (the young bride to be), the way your eyes can't stop moving (the curves in the image)...]

Simply simple

Simple, elegant, clean.

In writing, the (well-known) principle is called KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid).

In architecture and other art forms, it is called minimalism. All non-essential elements are stripped away so that only the essence of the subject is left. Minimalist architecture, inspired by Zen philosophy, became popular in the 1980s in London and New York. Minimalist design uses simple geometric forms, repetitions, basic materials, light and flow of light, and connection to the surrounding environment. Value is achieved through simple forms.

"How to be Less Stupid" is a nice post about the things we do that take away from our intelligence. Most of the examples are related to ways in which we complicate and bog down our thoughts and feelings. Simplifying our lives of unnecessary worrying, over-analysis of straightforward situations, mulling, second-guessing, regret, pity, doubt is like freeing up valuable real estate in our brains for much better things.

Actually simplifying things though, is the hard part. As Blaise Pascal put it: "I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it short". But at least if you recognize it, you're one step closer to making it happen!

Be happy

Jump, bounce, play, do whatever makes you feel awesome. Be happy, period.

On your merry, serendipitous way

It's easier to think about the next step you're going to take -- in fact, your feet do it for you -- rather than what you're going to do at the end of the road.

The universe has a funny way of either burying you further when you're already in deep, or subtly throwing you little bits of cheer and serendipity to lift you back up. Like if a lovely little flower falls from the tree nearby and delightfully ends up perched on your shoe like a decoration. (Could the universe really have intended so much meaning? -- But) you could just take it to be a little reminder of beauty everywhere if you just cheer-up and look, or of fortunate accidents everywhere if you just let them happen to you instead of wallowing in unproductive blues, or of the fact that although there are a lot of little things that make you scared or sad or anxious, there are also a lot of little things that bring a smile to your face. If you take the bad things in stride and take the good things with self-propagating joy and appreciation, then maybe you can be on your merry way one step at a time, and none will be the wiser to your happy secret except you and the universe.