The Timelessness of Happiness

Every man in his own way is seeking happiness. Indeed, we are told that “Men are that they might have joy”⎯a deep and abiding joy. And so it is proper that life should be a quest for happiness. But our difficulties begin with the distorted and perverted ideas that some men have concerning happiness. Some wrongly suppose that domination of others will bring them happiness. Some seek for happiness in the realm of material things, only to find that their accumulations in and of themselves do not bring what it had been hoped they would. Some mistake a passing thrill for happiness, and pay a great price for it, and have nothing to show for the price paid except heartache and regret. Now, since the search for happiness is properly the business of life, perhaps we should remind ourselves of some of the basic elements of happiness. First of all, genuine happiness never consists of things that give distorted pleasure to one and cause another misery. It must be made up of ingredients of which all good men may be partakers. Another element of absolute happiness is timelessness. It must endure beyond the present moment. It must no be something that gives indulgence today and a headache tomorrow. And, happiness must be of such nature that it can be increased by the sharing of it. In short, happiness is that illusive and much pursued state of being which is made up of things which are for the everlasting good of all men, and the key to it is found in this: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” This is the happiness the pursuit of which is properly the business of life.