Pursuit of Happiness

"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," is a well known phrase in the United States' Declaration of Independence.  Based on it, these three characteristics are our unalienable rights. Happiness is the feeling that comes over us when we know life is good.  It is an emotion of well being that ranges from contentment to intense joy.  The Dalai Lama, who suffered the loss of his country, talks about happiness in the book he was interviewed for called, The Pursuit of Happiness.  He believes happiness is determined by our state of mind rather than external events, our attitude and what we perceive our situation to be.  It may be difficult to accept our happiness. We may have dwelt in negative thinking and struggles so that we cannot understand the emotion of happiness, or believe we don't deserve it.  The Dalai Lama goes on to say, "....we are made to seek happiness.  And it is clear that feelings of love, affection, closeness, and compassion bring happiness."  Along with many others, he further believes the best way to be happy is to help others.  However, one premise of his book is that we can't help others unless we are happy ourselves.  The ultimate goal is to find happiness and offer love to others.  Some would say we have been created to give and receive joy.  Happiness, and it's opposite, sadness, are two sides of one coin.  When we shy away from pain and sorrow we risk shutting out happiness.  We can claim our right to happiness as an absolute right that is totally free, and with it comes celebration.  We begin to smile and laugh more and there is a sense of childlike curiosity, wonder, and delight. Happiness is hard to describe because it is an emotion, but it is desired, and it seems the more we have it, the more we want it.  The object is to find productive ways to obtain and express it. Happiness can be found in little things, and then there is the deep abiding feeling of joy.  Again, to quote the Dalai Lama, "I believe that every one of us has the basis to be happy, to access the warm and compassionate states of mind that bring happiness."  So...."Don't worry, be happy," Bob Marley lyrics.