The Key To Happiness
As many of you know, for years I have extended Christmas and Hanukkah greetings to my readers. This year I’ve decided to send everyone on my list a Christmas present…. No, it’s not a subscription to the “jelly of the month club” although the gift I have in mind is indeed a “gift that keeps on giving all year long.”
For a Christmas present this year I have decided to gift an idea. Some might call it an observation or, perhaps, an aphorism. And, as aphorisms go, this one, I think, is an important one. Dear readers, the gift I have in mind is nothing less than the key to happiness.
What insight would be robust enough for me to make such a grandiose claim? Well, it’s simply this: The key to happiness, dear readers, is to focus one’s mind and heart on what you HAVE, not on what you DON’T. It’s that simple! We need to be mindful of the blessings we enjoy and not on what we want but don’t have. This might be difficult, at first, to get the hang of, but, once mastered, will become an integral part of you, and will bring you happiness.
The theologian Houston Smith has remarked the of all the world’s religions, the one that analyzes happiness the most, is Buddhism. One of the basic tenants of the Buddhist tradition is that, to achieve happiness, one must extinguish desire. I believe the reasoning behind this precept is that “desire” is never ending; when one GETS something he or she desires, there is always something else to be desired next, and next again, and again, creating an endless cycle of what amounts to perpetual dissatisfaction. The remedy, according to the Buddha, is to abandon desire in the first place.
Being “dyed in the wool” western in my orientation, however, I could never really “warm up” to this teaching. For me, desire isn’t invariably negative; it’s intertwined with motivation, drive, productivity, good works, and the satisfaction that follows our many endeavors. For society to abandon desire entirely would bring on a state of lassitude and stagnation. Not something to which we should aspire. So, in my view, the solution is not to forsake desire, but to put it in perspective. And that’s where “focus” comes in. It’s okay to “want the world,” if you will, but in the maintenance and evolution of our own emotions, it is key to be mindful of the blessings that we have.
So, dear readers, in this season of joy, I hope that all of you will take some time to focus your heart and mind on the blessings that are yours. Happiness will follow!
Merry Christmas, and Happy (belated) Hanukkah!
Good evening just reading some of the essays. They are so good. I learn so much from them. The reason I do not give many comments is It is hard to give a comment on your essays. They are really the best. I felt they would sound not up to par. sorry. I went to read an essay from you I could not find it. Is there any way I could get back on the list. I would do anything thank you Bob