Wealth
and happiness have related to one another since the time of Plato.
In his work “The Republic” written thousands of years ago, he
attempts to parallel happiness to an untopianism society where the
relationship of wealth and happiness related to the society ideals.
In
Aristotelian, fundamental thinking is that happiness is not separate
from a good life and virtue. It seems as though individual happiness
and a good human foundation is the principal in Aristotelian thinking
and they can be achieved only through a righteous life.
After
considering both views, Aristotle’s ideas appear to be more
organized compared to Plato and he explains the relationship in a
better sense.
The
Declaration of Independence deems us the right to “Life, Liberty,
and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Maybe happiness is partially a
journey and not just a destination?
I
see happiness as a self-filling philosophy. Each morning we have the
opportunity to make the decision to be happy. Granted we may have
problems, health problems, family problems and the list continues in
every realm. However, the decision to be happy is ours. No one can
take that from us. We are in control of our own happiness.
It
was never my belief that finances dictate happiness. My father was a
perfect example of this idea. He had plenty of reason to be
disheartened but never was in his life. His motto was “Laughter is
the best medicine.” Given the opportunity to visit his home you
would have found numerous VCR recordings of every funny movie he
could find. He loved comedians from the 50s and 60s. Dad found his
happiness in laughter.
I
have tried to live by dad’s example. Over 18 years ago, we
relocated to a new state. We did not where we would find the grocery
stores, or even a church. At one point, I remember my mother asking
if I was unhappy. The question perplexed me; I never thought to be
unhappy.
Happiness
has eluded so many for so long, isn’t it time we decided to be
happy? Tomorrow morning as you wake, put a smile on your face. Do
your very best to be happy. In a world controlled by technology, and
jobs and the like, isn’t it nice to know you can control your own
happiness. We may need to work on it, but we can do it. We can
choose to be happy.
“A
joyful heart is the health of the body, but a depressed spirit dries
up the bones.”
Proverbs:
17:22
By
Jan O’Kane
https://janokane.blogspot.com
