That Elusive Happiness

I hurried up the front porch after work and I espied my two year old boy with a huge smile looking out the front window eagerly awaiting my arrival. I made faces and teased him through the window until he was all tied up in knots giggling and wiggling in delight. As I entered in the door he threw himself back in feigned embarrassment and promptly toppled onto the floor. Off the chair, on his head. He howled and cried his indignation until I picked him up. From happiness to tears in a split second.

 Not unusual for happiness I suppose. Happiness seems so elusive.

Man pursues so many different things as happiness. Money for example.  By work and hook or sometimes crook, he pursues the mythical amount where he thinks he might just have enough. For what? Not often even sure of that. Than he loses his health, and he begrudgingly but readily spends  all on doctors to get well. Happiness now seems to be in health, not wealth, as he is ready to give up his wealth for health. But as soon as health returns he forgets that, and either pursues money again or some other pleasure, or perhaps power, fame or the like.

If we go through all the things that most pursue as happiness, but are always disillusioned in when achieved, we start to see what the trouble is.

Seems they all lack at least two major qualities. Total fulfillment and permanence.
Another way of saying this is that there seems to be two things that make us unhappy.

1) unruly appetites
2) unfulfilled desire

We just can't seem to rule our desires very well. Sleeping in and missing some responsibility, resolutely trying for patience but losing a friendship when failing, some drinking to excess and ruining all that he holds dear.

Reminds me of St. Paul when he says that he does that which he doesn't want, and doesn't do what he wants.
A war within his own members leading to all disquiet.

And then even if we get what we desire, it either doesn't fill us up, or as soon as that appetite is satiated we are on to the next.

A hot tub that one just can't wait to get into when cold. Its hot and oh so good. But the longer your in it, the pleasure subsides so you must turn the heat up. Sort of like boiling the proverbial frog, you hope you escape just short of being a fully boiled lobster. Yes, the fleeting nature of satisfaction.

Well, what can we make of this? This. Whatever is going to make us happy must be completely fulfilling and must be never ending. When obtained, no desire for another good would be entertained, and there would be no apprehension that it could be lost, that could make the grasp of it uneasy, and rob it of its full delight. Uh, oh,

Whats this? Its the dinner bell ringing and the muse fleeing. A grass fattened steak from my brothers place and all the sundry foods playing a supporting role round about, along with fresh squeezed (so to speak) goat milk obtained from the walking grazing milk bottle awaits the pleasure of the palate. Happiness, or nearly so! but I fear the word nearly is the operative word here. We'll give it the utmost go though. The little one is happy now and ensconced in his high chair. Until the fat is chewed,

Have a great day!
David A. Cools