Happiness, the word itself seems to be too vague and blurred to really understand it. The feeling is rather vague to explain, as happiness is nothing that can be defined or explained or touched. It is an emotion, a feeling that can only be felt from within and it defies any explanation. Happiness is just a state of the mind which cannot be inculcated in us by some outside agency. We can just not argue that, as soon as we get so much money, or so many houses or so many children etc. we will be happy. No, this state is never possible for, we can just not assure ourselves of being happy when we get a particular thing. Instead, when we get, for instance, one core taka, our lust for further enhancement of the money, prevents us from being happy. We start desiring for more and then more, this becomes our phobia. So where will happiness come from? This type of happiness is not possible because we cannot assure ourselves of being happy if we get so much. It is the same position as all other material items. We can never be satiated with any amount. So, this means that happiness is something else, and has nothing to do with mere material achievements.
On the contrary, we see many people happy even with obviously very little of material wealth, and others with a lot, always sore with fate. This implies very clearly that, material wealth and belongings have nothing to do with happiness. This would eventually mean that happiness cannot be measured in terms of the items we possess. In this context then, we have to understand that items we dote upon do not really give us happiness. This is something that comes from within the heart and has nothing or very little to do with what we have.
No man can be made happy by giving him things but, he can be happy and remain so if he is satisfied with all that he possesses, and does not fret for what he does not possess. We can be happy only if we master the art of being satisfied with whatever we have. This does not mean that we should not try to improve our lot but, if we aim higher and try for more, we should at the same time be happy with what we have this attitude only can lead us to the bliss of happiness.
We often go out in search of happiness as if it is an item that can be bought for a price or something that may be waiting on some crossing to encounter us. This is because most of us find life’s out in search of happiness.
However, if we do not know where it lies, then how can we find it? In this peculiar search, we get more and more involved with materialistic gains, and instead of finding happiness, land up in the clinics of psychiatrists. The hard fact is that happiness lies within us but we look for it outside? Then how will we ever find it? We are on the wrong path in the hunt for the treasure. Let us be clear in our understanding that worldly material things do give us happiness i.e. in reality, momentary pleasure and no real happiness as we know it. Then I am really confused, what is real happiness. Do riches consist of happiness? No, they give us all conceivable pleasures but not happiness. Let us analyze this statement. If riches were the sole giver of happiness, we would never find the rich in pain. The Bible has clearly stated in this regard that, “blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”.
In short, happiness consists in accepting life, as it is, for those who do not accept life as it is, can never hope to be happy no matter how much of wealth and otherworldly gifts they may procure.
People, who always complain about life, can never be happy. Besides this category of people, those who live alone enveloped within themselves can never be happy, as they are destined to be lonely, taking no interest in the world around them. At this juncture, it would be nice to remember that people wrapped up within them make a very small and insignificant package destined to be unknown and unhappy. So in order to be happy, it would be a nice thing to be involved in the wellbeing of others which gives us immense happiness, and it is worth a try.
Thus, in a nutshell, we have to accept that happiness is just a state of the mind. The most important ingredient of happiness is satisfaction in whatever we have, whatever we do and whatever we are.
A few clues mentioned in the preceding paragraphs may help us to become happy, feel happy and remain happy. However, we have to remember that, to be happy we have to take the initiative for being happy; no one else can enthuse us or help us to become happy. If we decide that, in every eventuality, we must be happy, no one can prevent us from reaching that pinnacle of success that is HAPPINESS.