Fun does not equal Happiness

Lindy posted something about knowing what happiness is and I have been thinking about it a little. Then today in class, we learned more about what happiness is. Somehow, we seem to think that having fun is what makes you happy. In fact, it is almost the opposite. Things that bring true happiness often come from pain and difficulty.



Think about it. If fun equaled happiness, the Hollywood movie stars would have it made. Big houses, fun parties, fun cars- They probably have all sorts of crazy fun. Yet all you hear about them is depression, drugs, alcohol addiction, divorce, loneliness. Fun happens while you are doing something. Happiness is there after you are done doing what it is you did.

Happiness comes from family- Easy-peasy. Except half of all marriages end in divorce and having and raising kids could kill you. Our lives are so driven by money. We live for money. But the things that we buy that we think we need really isn't costing us money. It is costing us our lives. We waste them away to get things that will never go on with us past the grave. Although I know this, It is so hard to flip the switch in my head to simplify life and go after what truly brings happiness. It all comes from giving of ourselves.

What I would like more than anything is to become financially secure early on (living a fairly simple lifestyle) so that I don't have to stress about working my life away. I want to have time to do good in the world. To give of myself. That includes family, friends, and strangers. I know that if I am seeking the dream where I have everything, I will die trying to get there and have nothing to show for it. I will not be happy. Right now, I feel like I am pretty money-driven. But I also allow for that because I need to start my professional career soon. I just hope that once I am there, and I can provide for all the necessities, I will be able to stop being such a workaholic.