Happiness

Someone once told me that happiness is a state of mind. I laughed at his premise then. If happiness was a state of mind, then sadness, anger, excitement, fear & all emotive feelings would merely be states of mind. Did he mean that humans merely willed themselves into feeling a certain way that seemed plausible?

Then I met someone else, a forty-something who has led a fortunate life thus far, achieving her goals without obstacles. For someone most might imagine to be happy, she wasn’t. She was unhappy, but she confessed that she reminded herself to be glad for everything that she had, & that she had nothing to be unhappy about.

Perhaps happiness is merely a state of mind. Whenever we are unhappy there exists a little voice that tells us to revel in the happiness of all our other little victories. Regardless of our superficial sentiments of the everyday, our emotional core may just be simply, happy.

Happy to have been the X or Y chromosome that won the race.

Happy to have kissed and hugged.

Happy to have quenched our thirst.

Happy to have seen colours.

Happy to see happiness in smiles.

Happy to have felt rain.

Happy to have tasted chocolate.

Happy to have closed our eyes & slept,

& happy to wake to the morning sunshine.

If humans were dogs, we could feel happy too. Except, no chocolate.