In pursuit of...

Happiness

“I have now reigned about fifty years in victory or peace, beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honor, power and pleasure, have not waited on my call, nor does any earthly blessing appear to have been wanting to my felicity. In this situation, I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot. They amount to fourteen.”
Abd Er-Raman III of Spain (960 CE)

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. Happiness is nothing more than good health and bad memory.”
Albert Schweitzer

“Are you happy?” I almost always hesitate when asked this question. It creates confusion because I never know exactly how to define happiness. Is it what you feel in the moment you know you're in love, or accepted to the college you want? If so, it is fleeting. Is happiness sustained optimism? I have heard someone described as “a happy person” as though happiness is a personality trait. Has the right to pursue happiness led us to believe that happiness should be our normal state and anything else is a tragedy? If we aren’t happy, is something terribly wrong? Is this misconception of our right to perpetual happiness what is fueling our addiction rate?

Here are some words that I am comfortable with: satisfied, related, engaged, intrigued, contented. Most days, I can claim one of those and feel honest. I do agree with the Dalai Lama, “all creatures want to be happy,” since so much of the world would be happy simply to have a full belly and a safe place to sleep. There are many legitimately unhappy humans on the planet. Happiness defined as a sense of exhilaration comes and goes. Pleasant as it is when it comes, it is ephemeral. When I am engaged in something I love, I am content. But in the course of any given day, I may also be frustrated, infuriated and irritable. Does that make me “an unhappy person?” All of these are normal human emotions we experience, hopefully without getting stuck in any one of them.

Feelings of contentment are nourishing to body and soul. Our health is dependent on them. There are times when reality dictates, as it has in my own life, that we engage in labor that is not of our choosing. Some of us work at jobs we don’t enjoy simply to put food on the table. Then it becomes even more important to find time and means to satisfy our souls. Even an hour a day spent doing something that makes our hearts sing reduces the impact of negative stress.

Finally, happiness is an inside job. It doesn't come from what we have, but from who we are. No one can give it to us or take it away. We must find it within or it will forever elude us. If you would pursue happiness then, begin with examining the contents of your own heart.

In the Spirit,
Jane