Decades ago, I went to an Asian woman for acupuncture. I had gone through some intense experiences and the woman took one look at me and said, “You no happy!  What make you happy?  Find happy and you feel better!” 

At that moment I asked, “Could you please give me the directions to happiness?”

We confuse happy moments with a life-long need for contentment. I have happy moments on a daily basis but I am still very human and visit the dark side of a peace of mind.

In The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama writes: “When life becomes too complicated and we feel overwhelmed, it’s often useful just to stand back and remind ourselves of our overall purpose, our overall goal. When faced with a feeling of stagnation and confusion, it may be helpful to take an hour, an afternoon, or even several days to simply reflect on what it is that will truly bring us happiness, and then reset our priorities on the basis of that. This can put our life back in proper context, allow a fresh perspective, and enable us to see which direction to take.” But when we are in the midst of sadness how do we get our GPS back to take us to that place of joy?

Happiness as a momentary state of emotion brought on by someone or something and then it seems to disappear. Happiness, in my experience holds a lot of weight brought on by outer circumstances. I choose and select to stay in contentment. This is a state of peace, serenity and understanding that even when things, or someone, doesn’t fall with my agenda I can still find satisfaction. All sorts of events are transformed because of this realm in my life. Living simply in the moment and acknowledging that no other force other than that of the Universe can create or break this realm has become my equilibrium. Most days I am balanced because of this. Some days I tend to fail miserably but that's okay. This is part of the journey. Even though happiness and contentment are synonyms in the English language, I can separate their meanings in my existence.

I remind myself constantly that to get to this point I must detach completely from the chaos of the world. I am probably considered by many as ignorant to world issues. I rarely watch the news, read newspapers, or enter into Internet sites that bring stress or discomfort into my life. I cannot control any of those issues in the outer world. I am responsible for my own piece of heaven. Watching children play, sitting with a friend, hiking through nature, reading an amazing book, are just a few things that bring me to my realm of contentment. Catching a firefly, admiring a sunrise or sunset, and listening to the crickets in the evening, hunting for heart-shaped rocks in the creeks, bring about a defined joy that is incomparable to anything else going on in the rest of the earth. I say my prayers, contemplate with my wishes for mankind, and sit comfortably in the “knowing” that we are all responsible for our own realms of existence.

Happiness and contentment are contagious, generous, and captivating. This state of grace reels you in on an invisible string from the heavens and allows gratification to be the bait that gets you every second. What one does with it is miraculous. I can see it in the darkest of moments, a bad day, or stress being erased by its humility. That is what forces me to reside in this realm. It’s joy that comes through and through while being on an infinite quest for peace. It is my state of being whole-listic and constantly growing in our times with Divine guidance. And, even when there are trying times, obstacles, and confusion, I go into silence and reach for my "contentment."  I have never forgotten the acupuncturist and her words. When I fall into a space of sadness I imagine a giant map with infinite pathways to find Happiness.

So, if you happen to be searching for Happiness and don't know the address look within. Sit with yourself long enough to find what makes you giddy, what makes you feel loved, and what makes turns you into the best possible you there is. I bet you know the address by heart.

 “Happiness is like a cat, if you try to coax it or call it, it will avoid you; it will never come. But if you pay no attention to it and go about your business, you'll find it rubbing against your legs and jumping into your lap.” -William Bennett

 I love you,

 Millie