Once upon a time, there was a miserable man. He was miserable because nothing he had was of any good, as it seemed to him. He was healthy, but not strong or good looking enough. He had a job, but not well-paying enough. He had a home, but not big enough. He had a wife, but she could never sympathize with him. He had two kids, but both were foolish and disobedient. In short, life had given him nothing good, and he was truly miserable.
So miserable, indeed, was he that even God had to look down and take notice.
'What ails you, child?' He asked the miserable man.
'My life in itself is an ailment,' the man replied.
'Life is an opportunity, child, not an ailment. It is a chance given to you to acquire wisdom and create joy and happiness for yourself
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Bless me with perfect happiness, O Lord!' urged the man.
'That I cannot do, child. You have to bear the sorrows and travails that life has marked as your share,' said the Lord.
“Can't you at least make me perfectly happy for one month? If I am truly, perfectly happy even for one month, I will tolerate the rest of my miserable life. There would at least be the memories of my one perfect month to gladden my heart with,' said the miserable man.
'Your wish is granted. Go and find your true happiness.' So saying, God vanished from before the man's eyes.
That man's dreams and desires unfolded and his life acquired all the perfection he had ever desired.
But the month soon ended. And then God again appeared before the man and asked, 'So, child, have you found happiness?
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'You had a most wonderful gift in your hand, and yet you wasted it away because of your own foolishness. Go and live a month of misery now, and let that teach you a lesson,' said God before vanishing away.
Bitter days fell upon the man. His good health left him, and he became a cripple. And he found himself transported to the middle of a desert with no food or water. He wandered around looking for food, water and shelter from the hot sun. Hunger gnawed at his stomach and thirst burned his throat. Finally, his strength failed him and he fell down on the hot sand.
‘Forgive, forgive, O Lord,’ his heart cried out, though no words could come out of his mouth.
Just then a bird flew over him. It held in its beak a small pouch. As the bird flew over the miserable man, the pouch slipped from its beak and fell down right next to the man. He picked up the pouch and opened it. It contained a piece of bread, and a bottle of water. The man wasted not a moment. He gulped down the water and finished the bit of bread in a few moments.
‘Thank you, God!’ he cried out, ‘Thank you! Thank you! I’m so happy!’
God appeared before him once
A Major Role in The Novel "To Kill a Mockingbird": Boo Radley A person that was stuck behind bars for most of his life escapes and saves the lives of two innocent children. Boo Radley, whose real name is Mr. Arthur, is like a prisoner in his own home because he is afraid to face the real world. Boo Radley plays a major role in the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" because he acts like a second father to the children. He does this by creating a strong bond with the children, he saves Jem and Scout's lives and he is like a mockingbird to the children. Boo Radley shows us how a complete stranger can become your best friend in a single moment.
father had thoughtfully kept himself and his son some bread, but after his son seen he
life will always be a part of him, and that there is a very strong
going to die yet he sees the bright side of it; which is that unlike most deaths, were you
Although he is filled with misery, he feels a moment of peace and tranquility when he becomes surrounded by the beauty of nature.
reasons that the man was saved because he was blessed by God. He goes on to say
Upon reading more closely, the story is revealed to present a tragic journey of a man who has lost his sanity but seeks solace in the materialistic comforts of his old life. The story succeeds in making a number of statements about human nature: that wealth is the most powerful measure of social status and anyone without it will face ostracization; that denial of one 's mistakes and unfortunate circumstances only leads to more pain; that even the most optimistic people can hold dark secrets and emotional turmoil inside them. All of these themes compel the reader to ponder their real-life implications long after the story is
these terrible events happen to him and even starts to question if God is even real. “For the first
In the 1930s in the south, the Ku Klux Klan was in full swing along with the Jim Crow laws. Segregation was spreading like a wildfire all over the south. It was no different in Maycomb, Alabama. However, there were a few people that did, in fact, respect African-Americans. Those few included a man by the name of Arthur Radley. More commonly know to Maycomb as “Boo” Radley, a thief, creep, look through your windows, kill your family type of guy. However, Boo was not that type of guy at all. Boo Radley is a mockingbird. Boo Radley is a mockingbird because he protects the Finch children, he isn’t a monster but is kind and innocent, and finally because he tries to better the community, almost like a guardian angel.
In this paper I will look at Thomas Aquinas’ discussion from the Summa Contra Gentiles Book III Chapters 27 to 37 examining the pursuit of happiness and the ultimate source of happiness. I will first discuss the various kinds of happiness which Aquinas describes in the Contra Gentiles and how they may appear at first sight to satisfy the definition of happiness. I will then look at why he refutes these pursuits as the true source of happiness. Secondly, I will look at how the knowledge of God, to Aquinas is the ultimate source of happiness for man even though a full understanding is unattainable in this life. I will then defend this argument which I feel supports that happiness is linked to God and why I believe it is a valid argument.
...ificed for all the sins of mankind. Feeling ashamed and sad, he questions his own faith by saying that his son was too young to have scaped world s and flesh s rage (Lines8, 9). Finally, he uses a tender word like peace to signal that he has accepted his son s death, forgiven himself and God, and realizes that everything will be all right.
Everyman then asks the question we all would ask since we would not go with death willingly. Everyman tries to bribe death into postponing his long journey. With his life book not fulfilled, and nothing to show God. Everyman begins to question his mortality.
Happiness is a feeling that everyone aims to accomplish, yet some people seem to only catch a sight of it. Gratifying atonement, a state of well-being, and serenity are the more eminent elements of happiness. David G. Myers and Ed Diener propose the article “Who Is Happy?” which present aspects of happiness, a theory that recognizes adaptation, cultural world view, and personal goals. I believe through word of mouth and through those whom we look up to, we are told many myths about happiness, especially the biggest myth that money can buy happiness. In Daniel Gilbert’s “Reporting Live from Tomorrow”, he argues that the definition of happiness is not defined by wealth and that we rely on super-replicators and surrogates to make decisions that we feel will enhance our happiness. Our economic history has proven the idea of declining marginal utility. If we pursue life and liberty without happiness, our lives, quality, and value will slowly vanish, but the absence of wealth has nothing to do with one’s happiness.
This really bothered the man, and he questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, You said that You would never leave me nor forsake me. You said that once I decided to follow You, You'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most difficult times in my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed You most, You would leave me."
and successes as well as many pains, griefs, and troubles in ones life. A happy