Happiness

I have long thought to myself what happiness really is. How do we define it? What makes up happiness? Is it feeling totally free from negative emotions, or is it being contented with what you have, or is it simply a state of mind? I wish to define it not because I have turned philosophical nor because I want to be the next Mr Webster, but because I want to know if I could say I am truly happy.

I find it hard to define happiness because there are questions that bothers me about the state of being happy. Is happiness an overwhelming and absolute feeling? By that I mean, do we say we are happy only when there is nothing more in our life that we could ask for? Could we be happy only when everything is perfect? Inversely, are we not happy when there are still aspects of our life that need improvement?

I am bothered by these because if Yes is the answer to all those questions, then truly I could not be happy. And I do not want to think I am not.

So I am trying to see it now with a different perspective. Maybe we dont need a perfect life to be happy. Maybe happiness is born not out of circumstances that we are in, but from the attitude that we possess regarding these circumstances. Our lives may still leave a lot to be desired, yet, happiness could be found within. How? Let me quote William H. Sheldon:

"Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation."

So happiness is not really about what we have now, but what we believe we are going to achieve. It is not about not wanting anything else for our lives, but knowing that in time we'd get it. Or actually, maybe we won't even get it, but the journey, doing something, towards the kind of life that we want is enough to make us happy.

Luckily, there is something that makes this journey more fulfilling for some. It is the presence of loved ones that we travel together with. People who hold our hands on our way to wherever we are going. For me, that would be Jay and my kids. The people who make my happiness more complete.

Now, I should be able to say without doubt that I am happy. I still have a lot of dreams and prayers for my life, but I am on my way there.

WE are on our way there.