Another Sort of Quest

Have you ever thought that if

you could live in one place or

another, you would be happy?

Or if he or she would just talk to

you, If you could just make them

love you, it would be the last piece?

Maybe that promotion or that hot

new car, maybe a house. Are you

looking for that one last piece to

the “happiness puzzle”?

If you are, I weep for you. For you

will never know happiness. You

truly walk past it every day. Happiness

isn't in a place, or a job, or things, or

even in some other person, some

mythical soul mate.

Have you ever seen the look on the

face of the next person to the counter

when they find out that someone

paid for the next coffee ordered.

Have you ever really watched a bunch

of children playing together in the park?

Have you ever seen the unmitigated joy

on the face of a dog in the park chasing

the ball or the Frisbee?

Have you ever really taken in the

absolute beauty of a June sunset? The

birds and the crickets chirping, the blaze

orange sky and smell of the evening air?

Can you remember the joy on a parent's face

when you popped in for an unexpected visit?

Until you have seen these things, and

can truly understand that happiness is

found in a million little moments like

these, you are forever on a fool's quest.

Reviews

[mikeduty]

Well said. I know I have a tendency to think if things were different I would be happy. But, my wife used to remind me happiness comes from the inside and not from circumstances. I am seriously considering printing this off and posting it where I can see it every day.

[jen]

I love this :) My dad once said that life usually contains about 20% pure joy and that we should savor it when it is experienced. Your write explains so beautifully how it can find us in such small ways and can affect us in such a big way if we let it. Really nice.

[Kristina Moulaison]

Very wise words! Love the idea of equating this to an epic quest that is ultimately a fool's errand. How valiantly we ride in search of something that we believe is so illusive when all the while we had it already within our grasp. Nice!

[An Ordinary Woman]

beautifully written, friend. My how some never get it until it's so late in life but never too late. The short stanza at the end got me. Oh yeah. Love it!!!