Can we only always pursuit happiness?

 It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking: How did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue. And maybe we can actually never have it, no matter what. How did he know that?

This quote from Christopher Gartner in the movie “In persuit of happiness” got me thinking. All our lives we work, think and endure hoping to find happiness. We cajole ourselves to find happiness in our vacations, in jobs, our relationships, our material assets and in every single way where we think happiness might be lurking. Then we go down to the Gods and the Gurus. We get our lessons in peace and serenity and continue our search for happiness. But is it really attainable? What is happiness? Is plain laughter a sign of happiness? Can one be happy while still being sad? Is success the real happiness?

So many questions but no tangible answers! Further analysis shows, happiness does not really exist. A child finds happiness in toys whereas a needy will find it in food. Happiness is something we have been taught to believe in. Attaining something we like makes us happy. And what we really need is never constant. So can happiness be forever?

Ancient wisdom in the scriptures, talks about peace and serenity. It talks about enduring and giving. But surprisingly, it never talks about being happy. Is it because our predecessors in this world were aware that happiness can only be pursued? Is it the bait that has been laid to get mankind to strive towards continuous development? Is it the final goal of our species?

Many may consider my thoughts to be utterly negative. How can there be no happiness, they might ask. For them another argument I could put forth is, a satisfied man may never strive harder. The search of happiness in wealth, makes businesses grow. The search of happiness in love, makes the species grow. The search of happiness in learning, grows our science and the search of happiness in life, makes us live. Maybe the Gods knew it and so did the ancients who we all know were much closer to the Gods.