Happiness is...

People are strange...Just ask Jim Morrison, he knew it all too well.  What I am starting to realize is that, for the most part, people are a lot alike.  We have different ideas about what happiness is and therefore our motivations to get that happiness vary, but I think in studying our differences we have forgotten the thing that ties us all together: Everyone just wants to be happy.

Now I'm not going to go into the deep philosophical things that make people happy, because I believe that deep down the same things create true lasting happiness.  However, it seems that most people want to put roadblocks in front of their happiness; As if it is some sacred treasure or Grandma's fancy china that you can only use for VERY special occasions...then the whole time you use it you're having a panic attack about breaking it because you know, statistically, fancy china doesn't last forever.  Happiness has become this elusive, abstract word with a long lost meaning that no one fully understands anymore.  "When I'm 30 pounds lighter, I can be happy", "When I graduate, I can be happy",  "When I get married, I can be happy", "When I buy a house, I can be happy"....It goes on and on until you are suddenly on your death bed and realize that YOU are the only thing that has kept yourself from being happy.

We chain up our spirits and refuse to allow ourselves to experience joy because we somehow believe we don't deserve it.  The truth is that everyone deserves to be happy the way they are, without caveats or conditions.  Happiness that is contingent upon specifics and delicately balanced atop achievements and unattainable goals will never sustain itself.  Yet we do it.  All of us to some extent or another.  What is it about being happy that so terrifies the human race?  When did "Happiness" become yet another thing we impose upon ourselves as a chore, something that we have to work for and toil to get?  Yet another thing for us to fall short and feel bad about not having?  I'm not sure that is the point. I'm pretty sure that sometimes, happiness really is "finding a pencil" not "practically perfect in every way"...Though that WOULD be pretty awesome.