Happiness

The Big Misunderstanding

The big misunderstanding
is that we’ll be happy
once we have
“it.”

Perhaps
briefly.

Then
it’ll be the same.

The challenge
is to be happy
now.

Not always.

But now.

Then pursue “it,”
simply because it’s fun
to pursue.

Sometimes
a vicious cycle
starts,
unintended,
when we take responsibility
for others’ happiness.

Sometimes
a virtuous cycle
starts,
ironically,
when we take responsibility
for our own happiness.

What if
happiness
is simply the momentary absence
of our tendency
to predict
the negative.

Happiness
is something
we already have.

If we don’t feel it
it’s because we only feel it
when we see it
with appreciation.

We often learn this
after
we’ve lost it.

As we all of a sudden
remember
having seen it
without appreciation.

All the while,
appreciating it now
since we have lost it.