Loving Through Happiness
I started thinking about how our definition and what we believe happiness is, changes as we grow. Some still think and believe it is a destination, searching each day in many places, things and people, not understanding it comes from within.
When we were little beings, that is when we knew the true meaning of happiness. We were excited each and everyday to play outside, be with our family, and our friends, to just be. We didn’t need anything or anyone to make us happy, we were untainted, pure but, somewhere along the way it changes. Somehow we lose our sense of who we are, what we value, what we believe and what we think. It’s like we wake up and decide we need this to be happy, whether it is clothes, a toy, a friend. The light that shined in us, went dim or for some blew out completely, like we never experienced happiness or the true meaning of it.
Each stage of our lives happiness shifts into new ways. When we hit school age, we want what everyone else has and if we don’t get it, we won’t be happy. When we no longer believe in the fairy tales of the Holidays, they don’t bring us the happiness we remembered when we did believe. When we become adults, so much changes in the way we can view happiness, for some it is their spouse that makes them happy, their job, or their children. Yet, for others it becomes more materialistic, a house, car, how much money they have. Happiness becomes this place, thing or destination, where we can say, “I will be happy when”, or “If I get this, then I will be happy”, not only does that create a lot of stress and pressure it also creates disappointment, as nothing, no one can make us happy.
Merriam Weber’s definition of Happiness is this : A state of well being and contentment. It does not say if you have this or do this you will be happy. If you go here or there, you will be happy. I think about the Magic Kingdom, how it has been called “ The Happiest Place On Earth.” I have been many times, at different ages and yes, it is a magical place, but what happens when we leave there? We go back to our unhappy lives, dreaming of that place that made us happy. Our minds are powerful, our hearts are capable of healing, but the problem is many block the abilities of our amazing capabilities. Happiness for me is freedom, peace and love. It is contentment for this life I am blessed to live, for the body that heals and carries me and for my mind that allows me to change whatever thoughts I want at any moment. If you want to be happy, then be happy. It starts there, doing what you love, feeling what you want to feel, thinking the way you want, and believing anything and everything is possible. XO-Rach