What is Happiness?

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Some people say happiness is only temporary. Are those people right though? Is there such thing as an eternal happiness? In the words of Don Draper, “What is happiness? The moment before you need more happiness!” This statement evokes our minds to think of these questions and where we stand on the matter. I find it easy to agree with Mr. Draper, yet, I also cannot help but wonder if anyone can ever experience a happiness that has never faded. For people who believe in it, one could find unfailing happiness once they get to heaven to spend eternity in peace. However, do we really need to wait until we die for that? One could say maybe happiness is always with us, but we just forget about it because we tend to focus more on our oppression. Yet, I think that we confuse temporary happiness with true happiness. To me, there exists a common, impermanent elation and a rare, true happiness.
Happy people tend to be ambitious, humble, self-secure, and they do not let their fears limit or control them. Happiness is a central theme in some religious teachings such as Buddhism. In these teachings, the ultimate happiness is “only achieved by overcoming craving in all forms.” Buddhism encourages loving kindness, compassion, and joy for all beings. In other religious teachings like Catholicism, a “perfect happiness” is only reached in the afterlife. So according to these beliefs, our joy is limited no matter what we do. Is it even possible to “overcome craving in all forms?” I don’t think it is meaning we constantly have to work at finding contentment. As for the “perfect happiness,” I agree that there is no such thing here on Earth. Although, I do believe there is such thing as it being true as opposed to limited.
Thomas Jefferson so smartly ...

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...of time and the other type, more permanent and true. I think that both depend on us to reach them. The one that is limited only takes away the pain for a little while leaving us to await its return. We end up not feeling satisfied and are left going through this cycle of sad to happy. There is a happiness that can end this cycle though, but it relies on us finding it. It is something that once it happens, you know it; a type of joy that is rare and worth it. Like Thomas Jefferson wrote, it is a pursuit to happiness. True happiness will not get handed to you and it will not be easy, but I think that is the beauty of it. To find something greater than what you have ever known and to have something that will never let you down is the ultimate goal that people hope to reach one day. They just need to understand the difference between happiness being impermanent or rare.

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