| Happiness is different things to different people | | | | nurtured by themselves and it is offered and |
| and that is why it is so hard to find a real | | | | given with a happy smile of welcome. |
| meaning for the word. Happiness is just a word to | | | | So what makes a wealthy person miserable and a |
| describe a state of being. A State of being is | | | | subsistence farmer happy? I have long ago come |
| ephemeral; it is not a physical thing even though | | | | to the conclusion that the word to describe this |
| you are existing in a physical world. A person has | | | | state of being is contentment. |
| to be a physical person to experience a state of | | | | The person in our western culture who has |
| 'being'. | | | | everything still wants and lusts after more. They |
| So many things make so many people happy. To | | | | are rarely content with what they have and |
| experience a state of happiness you must have a | | | | always want more or better. This constant state |
| sense of being happy. Sounds obvious, but it isn't | | | | of lusting does not allow for any contentment or |
| as obvious as we all take for granted. How many | | | | pleasure in what they have. It is now the driving |
| times lately have you asked yourself "am I | | | | force behind the world financial system and our |
| happy"? Next, consider what made you ask | | | | consumer based economies. |
| yourself that question and more importantly, what | | | | All these possessions become problems for |
| did you answer? | | | | wealthy people and cause stress. It becomes |
| Being happy is so different for everyone. Having | | | | very stressful for them to find ways of holding |
| more of something does not equate to making a | | | | onto them. It is stressful in being loaded with so |
| person happier than someone else. Some of the | | | | much 'stuff' that after a while it becomes |
| most miserable people I have ever come across | | | | overloading because everything needs to be |
| have had a lot of everything. Money, food, | | | | maintained or cared for in some way. They are |
| shelter, friends (real and sycophants) power, | | | | always running around the edges of their |
| education,family and anything else that could | | | | possessions rather than enjoying or taking |
| possibly make a human being happy. | | | | pleasure in having them. This does not bring about |
| Some of the happiest people I have ever had the | | | | the state of being we know as contentment. |
| pleasure of meeting have been the least likely you | | | | The person who has little, needs little, makes |
| would ever expect to show happiness. People | | | | what they need and can enjoy the fruits of their |
| who are subsistence dwellers, who grow all their | | | | labour literally, have the time to consider, savour, |
| food in their own plots, have absolutely no | | | | enjoy, appreciate their success. The fact that |
| money, live in makeshift housing, have no | | | | they are eating, have a roof over their heads, |
| education, no likelihood of ever having any of the | | | | have friends and family with whom they want to |
| 'western culture' creature comforts, yet never fail | | | | share their good fortune they themselves have |
| to offer a visitor a glass of water or share | | | | made, brings them a great feeling of well-being, |
| whatever food they have available; whether it is | | | | satisfaction and engenders in their state of being |
| a banana or a drink of coconut milk. All these | | | | a feeling of contentment. These seem to be the |
| offerings come from their own work, planted and | | | | happiest people on earth that I have yet met. |