Happiness

"We are never living, but only hoping to live; and, looking forward always to being happy, it is inevitable that we never are so." - Blaise Pascal

"Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen." - Epictetus

These two quotes served me as bookends last night before I went to sleep because they are both true: by looking forward to something in the future, we are never that thing in the present, and even within that present, how we perceive things happen are much more important that what actually happens.

How often have I looked forward to some future occurrence or event in my life thinking that "If that happens, then I will be happy" only to discover that the thing I thinking of really didn't have that power. My immediate response: I suddenly start thinking of the next thing or phase or event or whatever, passing by those day to day occurrences that I can savor and enjoy.

And when events occur in my life, how often have I not just accepted the event as it is but poured my own meaning into it? A simple request can turn into an onerous command by someone who is out to get me; a simple mistake can turn into a well thought out campaign by an enemy; a temporary failure is suddenly evidence that I never should have tried because I never could have done it.

So here's a thought: Instead of looking forward to being happy, why not just be happy now? Instead of pouring meaning into events, why don't I just accept them as they come, learn from them, and move on? Am I so important that the very universe itself is conspiring against me? Or is that I think that I am so?

Don't answer that. I'm just going to take a moment, drink my coffee, and be happy. Any coffee spills are, I'm sure, only my own fault and not that of the universe trying to get me...