Happiness...

Happiness… Exactly what is it? What triggers it? Why is it so important?

“The happiness of the individual. Does this mean that all happiness is deferred to the future? Not at all. Every moment of life is an opportunity to make a step towards the ultimate joy – and also to experience it on the way.”

“Personal Redemption. The goal is in the future, yet in the steps toward it are in the present. This can achieve what this Hasidim describe as the ‘personal Redemption.’ For the individual personally, now, it is as it in some ways has been attained.”

Both of these statements came from a book by Stuart McCready entitled “The Discovery Of Happiness” in which my sister gave to me for Christmas. No this was not because I’m “unhappy.” Those who know me know that’s far from the truth. But it makes me wonder how many levels of happiness there really are and how they are obtained.

It seems that so often we live for the “one day” and focus too little on the “here and now.” To those things that get us from point A to point B. While doing this the joy in just living seems to escape our thoughts. Kind of like it’s suddenly overcast and all of the those clouds in our minds have demands like “Work harder!” “Be thinner!” “Love less!” written all over them.

So I challenge you to stop reading… don’t even comment. Just take five minutes. Close the door… Shut the curtains… Turn off the music… and “find yourself”. Why? Because five minutes is all it takes. Then tell me if you feel any different.