Whatever Makes You Happy (personal thoughts)

Today we will talk about happiness. Merriam-Webster defines happiness as: 2.a. A state of well being and contentment: joy ; 2.b. a pleasurable or satisfying experience. Most people limit themselves to the second definition which reflects a limited understanding of their own self and that is why the term happiness is coined to this basic meaning. The act of buying new things, this consumerist heaven, just to get that feeling that you are good, you are finally happy after all that hard work is only an illusion and it grows in a mind that is not given access to equilibrium. 

Many of us chase temporary changes in a continuous sadness that resemble the idea of well being and believe that's all to it. One of the first decisions someone must take is to start a "war" with dependence, of any kind. To kill a dependence on something is not never doing that thing, but controlling when you want and how much you want. For example if someone has a problem with alcohol and suposing his health permits, he must try to control his urges and never make a habit but drink moderately. Sure, the idea is not to be dependent of anything, period and never do conscious harm to one's health.

Health is very important because it keeps our body "operational" as a vehicle for our life/soul/mind, spiritual or not, you get the picture. One of my concerns is the inequality in the world because few have plenty and many have little. In most western countries vegetables and fruits begin to have no smell and taste because in the process of growing them, farmers use chemicals that hastens their growth and so many Europeans actually eat fruits and vegetables that have little or no vitamins and minerals and above all, could lead cause cancer. In Africa thousands, millions die from starvation even if there is plenty of land to feed all the population of Africa and even double that sum. We should always choose nature. Another health problem is sedentariness. What do all these have to do with health? Well, imagine a fat person sitting on a couch and eating junk-food while buying useless things on ebay, now think of a child with no food, almost no water, trying to survive in a war-torn country searching for work in order to live. The first will be happy when his new things are delivered and the child will be happy when he will finally eat something. To be poor and to be wealthy are the same things dressed in different clothes.

Even love is not true happiness. We like the idea of being in love because it creates an imbalance in our bodies, wonderful as it may seem, in the end it will fade away. Guess I am trying to get to inner peace as the best definition for happiness, I wonder why not more people search for this because even the quest for it gives many benefits. I sometimes feel happy when I am sad, it seems like a contradiction but you must go through the experience to really know what I am talking about. I recently went to a concert of Yasmin Levi and she practically said the same thing, nice to see another human-being enjoying his/her sadness. Don't be afraid to let go of your illusions.

Once again I finish with this: time is the most important thing you have, don't waste it, learn, think, evolve.

Ryan Farish - Aran


Article image by Alice vel. Hazel