The Pursuit of Happiness

Oxford dictionary defines it as “a feeling or showing pleasure’. Every person in the world has a unique explanation of this word. Every living organism can feel this. So what exactly IS happiness? The question prevails.

Happiness if generalized may be considered as a feeling of warmth love or satisfaction. Happiness is not a quantifiable entity. Although the great economists of our times have developed what they call a “Utility Theory”. But I personally don’t agree much with it. What they have done is to simply represent the level and extent of satisfaction of the satisfaction gained by consumption of any commodity by numbers. As hypothetical as this may sound to me at the first instance but somewhere it just simplifies the economy for them. Bottom line: too many assumptions.

So what does happiness mean then? A simple answer to this is not possible. But a simple explanation is possible. Happiness is simply anything which makes you smile, give rise to a little bubble of lightness and calmness in the chest. It cannot be categorized as money or freedom or love. But it’s something that makes you want to live your life. No, I am not saying that we all may die if we are having a rough patch in our lives. But living your life isn’t simply inhaling or exhaling the air or performing your daily chores. Living your life is about putting your heart into whatever you do, enjoying and appreciating the beauty around and most importantly sharing your happiness. Because the more you share it, the more it grows.

Happiness is the source of power for this world. As I call it, a ‘flame’ inside us makes us go on in our lives. It gives you the hope that whatever may happen, but the bad times will always depart. If we look at the mountains we shall see that the peaks and crevices are placed alternately. There always will be a high time after a lowdown. And as Mother Nature shows us, after night there always is morning when the sun rises to wake up the dormant and still beings and spread the warmth around.

If I ask you YOUR idea of happiness, then as surprising as this sounds but the answer shall be different on different days. Happiness ranges from getting an A in your exam to making your friend smile during his illness. For the kids it may be finding a chocolate bar in their Tiffin boxes to a hug from their mother. Happiness is ever changing. It is unlike every other thing cannot be constrained. It doesn’t matter how big or small the reason is. What matters is how we perceive and feel it. It about letting go of your inhibitions, breaking away the chains of sadness and doing what makes you feel complacent.

So go out, let your hair down and feel the raindrops on your skin. And don’t ever forget to spread the cheer. Jess The pursuit of happiness

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By: Megha Dixit

Tags: happiness, Life