In Pursuit of Happiness

What is happiness?? A state of perpetual joy? For some, happiness is when they get a new car or a new gadget... something that they can own and touch. I've just spent some time with my 14-month old niece and I notice that happiness for her is when I carry her and blabber funny things to her. I get the happiest squeals and laughter! It made her happy! It made me happy too! The human contact brings smiles and squeals of happiness from her. Made me happy to be able to reach out to another, what more to squeals of happiness. When we make others happy, we are happy too!

For me, I've learned too that happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy or let Depression and Loneliness be your constant companions.... (Elizabeth Gilbert describes it very aptly in her book Eat, Pray, Love about them as her companions). The mind, then becomes the wandering grounds of those 2 and they have a tendency to eat us up. Loneliness and Depression make our world really small!

We get burdened by our pursuits of the many things we deem important and necessary to us. Very often, we measure happiness by how much we earn and own.... or the freebies that we get. Yet, does wealth guarantee happiness, cos we certainly can't bring a single dime with us when we say goodbye to this world. I am not saying money is not important. It is. But the Bible is right too... we cannot serve both God and Mammon.

Physically as we grow along in years, becoming frail is not a choice. Already our eyesights are failing us. ... 8( And that will eventually bring us into a bewildering time of needing to come to terms with our frailty and eventual mortality. 20 years ago I wouldn't even be thinking about this.

Being old, some of us feel that we have a right to everything, because we are there first. (sounds familiar?) We demand absoluteness from our kids. We feel that our say must be the final one; that we should have the last say. In the end the old alienate their young without understanding that parents too should not provoke their children into endless stress.

I think happiness is when we learn to give of ourselves more than anything; give sincerely and wholeheartedly. Happiness is when we look outwardly rather than inwardly. It's about being able to count our blessings, no matter how insignificant or small they may seem. It's about being able to enjoy the company of our loved ones and those people around us. It's also about being able to be contented with what we have. Unfortunately, many of us miss out a lot of them.

This is a prayer by a 17th century nun. My sis showed it to me and I think it's a nice and meaningful piece.

"Lord, you know better than I know myself that I am getting older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

“Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but you know, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.

“Keep my mind from the recital of endless details - give me the wings to come to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing, and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others' pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

“I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.

“Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with - but a sour old woman is one of the crowning works of the devil.

“Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and the talents in unexpected people. And give me the grace to tell them so."

Tis a season of glad tidings! I wish that to everyone who drops by!