I’ve been thinking the last few days about happiness and what it really is? I know this may sound a strange question but I struggle with the concept of being happy. Now I can imagine that sounds rather maudlin but I don’t mean it to, it’s just the idea of being completely happy seems to far from me.

The dictionary definition of happy is ;

hap·py

adj. hap·pi·er, hap·pi·est

1. Characterized by good luck; fortunate.

2. Enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy.

3. Being especially well-adapted; felicitous: a happy turn of phrase.

4. Cheerful; willing: happy to help.

5.

a. Characterized by a spontaneous or obsessive inclination to use something. Often used in combination: trigger-happy.

b. Enthusiastic about or involved with to a disproportionate degree. Often used in combination: money-happy; clothes-happy.

And to be honest this doesn’t help, these seem to be feelings we experience at times but can we say we are generally just happy.

So is happiness a something that is a fleeting emotion something you feel just for that moment?

Hopefully by photos will explain my thoughts a little better.

In this photo I have my arms around my beautiful daughters and I’m so happy.

Then I think back to when this photo was taken and my happiness slips away, yet doesn’t take away from the happiness I felt moments before.

Yet the strangest thing is when this photo was actually taken I was so happy.

See no wonder I’m confused and yes my mind is a scary place to be.

You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.
Albert Camus

I guess what I’m realising is that happiness does exist but it isn’t measured by time but by the moments that make our heart soar. Time and happiness are separate things, time is a unit that’s recorded and happiness is experiences that are lived.

Life isn’t measured by how many breaths we take, but by the moments that takes our breath away – Unknown