Happiness

What does it mean to be happy?  What does it take to lead a happy life?  Can happiness be bought?  Does it come in box or bottle?

Living in a truck has caused me to really think about happiness and what I need to achieve it.  Ten years ago I don't think I could have been happy living the life I lead today.  I was confused.  I thought happiness was nothing more than a serious of pleasurable experiences.  Let me assure you, pleasurable experiences don't come around often when you park in a different city every night and don't have access to all the usually things people seek out for pleasure.  I can't go to the movies or hang out with my friends or go shopping.  I can't even watch anything interesting on TV.

I do have internet access and that allows me to keep up with my friends through facebook.  I can post on forums and that gives me a certain amount of pleasure.  I have access to all sorts of social media.  I also have access to my favorite radio stations from back home and a few pod casts I enjoy using the tune in ap on my android phone.

But, it's unusual that I have an opportunity to laugh.  I have very little face time with other humans.  Strangely, this really doesn't bother me.  I do have a LOT of time to think.  Time to plan, time to learn, time to do nothing at all.

I've never been a person that sought out happiness through things.  I've never hoped that buying the latest gadget would bring me happiness.  I'm a simple man with simple needs.  As long as I have enough food and can keep warm, I really don't need much else.

That, of course, doesn't mean I don't want stuff.  It just means I know buying stuff isn't the road to happiness.

Happiness doesn't come from having money either.  I've had money and I can tell you, it better to have it than to wonder how you'll pay the rent.  But, you really only need so much and the rest is just play money.  Money to spend in the pursuit of pleasure.  But, pleasure is fleeting.  It never lasts long.

Happiness, on the other hand, is a state of being.  It comes from within and has very little to do with your surroundings.  But, how do I get there?  How am I to be happy?  What's missing?  What drives happiness away?

Fear.  You cannot be happy if you're fearing for your life or future.  Stress.  You cannot be happy if you're stressing over things beyond your control.  Food, water, air, shelter etc.

I think the true key to happiness is low expectations.