Happiness
Psalm 144:15 'Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord'.
What is happiness?
According to Vocbulary.com - Happiness is that feeling that comes over you when you know life is good and you can't help but smile. It's the opposite of sadness.
Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, safe, or lucky, they feel happiness. The "pursuit of happiness" is a life long journey and we eek out bits of it everyday, happiness is different for everyone and people experience happiness for different reasons. Whenever one is doing something that causes happiness, they usually want to do more of it. No one ever complained about experiencing too much happiness!
I propose that happiness is a momentary emotion. What makes you happy? A New Car? A New House? New Clothes? I propose that we are happy for a MOMENT. Let's look at going on …We become happy considering going on …..Shall I put a 'time' on this? Let's say 1.5 hours while we think about the possibility. While attending the travel agent or scrolling through the destination sites on the internet...Happiness is experienced every-time you think of opening the site or getting ready to go to the travel agent. During the experience you will remain happy...Let's put a time on it...approximately 80 hours, over a period of two weeks. You are happy when you view your chosen airlines' arrival and departure times for your destination. You are happy when you look for hotels and compare them. Some of us make excel sheets to plan the cost of the holiday, when that folder is open, we are happy! Some of us have a holiday tin in-order to save money for our trip. Every-time we look at the tin, we are happy, every-time we add money to the tin, we are happy. Happiness is a momentary emotion. As the holiday draws near, you find happiness in buying your holiday clothes, you perhaps change some money into the currency of your destination.
Getting the house ready to be left for two weeks, while you are away, may bring happiness as you remember the reason you are doing the work. This may consist of emptying the freezer and fridge, perhaps you will stop shopping every week, but eat the contents, thinking that you will be able to leave few items in the fridge and freezer! The plants and kitten can go to a relative and they can check on the house while you are away.
So the holiday is set, you have done a lot of preparations, most of which gave you happiness. The day of your departure has arrived, you are happy and endure the queue at the airport, the 5 hour delay of the flight, the terrible coffee and fast food you had to buy and eat.
No happiness there.
You eventually get into your seat on the plane, which is squashed between two people who were insistent on taking as much space they can steal from you. They then fall asleep, snore and felt more comfortable leaning in your direction! No happiness there.
You leave the plane and head for your hotel...OK let's assume the hotel is great and you have a wonderful holiday...You are happy whilst enjoying the hotel and holiday...The memories of the holiday minus the plane ride there, will be bring you happiness.
Are you getting the picture? Happiness is a momentary emotion.
Happiness is a journey not a destination- Ben Sweetland. As you saw above, most of the happiness experienced stemmed from 'getting there'.
Check Out Part Two of This Happiness Blog.
