The butterfly called happiness

“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” What Nathaniel Hawthorne failed to add is that, a butterfly has a short lifespan hence happiness is a shallow boat in a very stormy ocean.

If you think of life as a journey, would you keep going if you were satisfied with where you are? NO. The reason we keep going is because we want to reach a destination. However, once you reach the destination, the journey itself ends. The feeling of satisfaction or happiness makes you want to settle down. This is why many people believe that the only time we will be satisfied or not with our life is when we are at our deathbed, because if you ever become entirely happy with your life, you will stop where you are since there would not be any desire to keep going.

Another school of thought teaches that the constant desire to achieve more happiness keeps us striving which in effect keeps the world going. I would argue that you cannot seek happiness as a goal because it is inevitable that you will feel a range of emotions over varied periods of time. “Purpose” is much more valuable, because having a purpose in and for your life gives you reason to live while enduring whatever comes your way.

You can only have happy moments in life, but not a constant state of happiness. Pursuing happiness as a goal is just another way to be depressed your whole life because once a moment of happiness fades away you will be on the search or the wait for it to return.

Life is not supposed to be happy all the time. Just like any other emotion, it is merely passing so when you experience joy do not expect that it is what you are supposed to feel for the rest of your life, just as when you experience sadness, you know it will pass. It is much healthier and long lasting to have life goals that are not so outcome oriented. Instead of having a goal to be happy, have one like enjoying the moment, being present and being grateful for little ordinary things in your life.

Happiness is intangible, therefore it is illogical and fruitless to chase as a goal. I believe we are here to be tested, to try and to improve as beings so that we can ascend to a higher level in the spiritual world. Cheers!

What are your thoughts on this? Share with a friend and have a wonderful weekend.

[Author: Mandela Sapenu]