How does one find happiness? I have been told that you go and find it, but where do you find it? I have gone to a place to find happiness, then sat perplexed when happiness vacated that spot.
Sometimes when I am sitting in my living room, I notice that the light has dimmed. The sun emits no less photons, and there are no more clouds than there were yesterday, so why does the light seem less today? If I put on my glasses, and take a close look I generally find hundreds of nose smudges on the glass. Photons do not seem to be able to penetrate nose smudges, at least not the sort produced by two wily dachshunds and one, three legged, coon hound / rottweiler mix. They love looking out at the sunshine, unfortunately they cannot stop themselves from sliming the windows as they crowd each other for the best view.
The obvious fix would be to get up, grab some vinegar and a piece of newspaper, and clean the windows, but generally, when I get a moment to sit down in the living room I am tired from chores. I do not want to get up and clean the windows, so the light remains dim, and the view gets progressively more obscured as the dogs happily nuzzle the panes.
Weeks might go by before I finally find the energy to wipe up the canine nasal sludge. When I do, I am amazed at how much light pours into the living room. I enjoy it, and wonder why I did not clean the mess sooner.
I think happiness is like the light coming through the windows, which our souls. The happiness never really goes away. We just can't see it for the discoloration on the windows to our soul. We could wipe away the dirt and the grime, but we get tired, and put it off until one day we finally find the energy to grab a rag and wipe it away. When we do this, we are amazed at the brightness that fills us.
God's love is happiness. We remember the happiness and wish to seek it, but occasionally the time in between cleanings is so long that we forget how good happiness feels in our lives. When we do seek the happiness out of desperation, we find it a bit more difficult to clear away the crud that blocks God's light. If we can remove even a tiny spot, the light will pour in, and we will be rewarded with the beauty it provides. That tiny ray of light will inspire us, and renew our strength until we can tackle the remaining soil that clouds our soul. It is a worthy effort to make, and well worth the time. We need light to illuminate the world around us.
I am always much happier when I let in the light, and I do not have to travel to another place to find it.
