Isaac Ilyich Levitan
Recently, I read a post listing someone’s bucket list. It was creative, far-reaching and well thought out. Nothing wrong with having goals and desires. A couple of items were a lofty career with lots of status and appreciation, the perfect mate, a mansion, a boat, world travel, etc.
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My question lies in finding happiness in this quest. Does it take 50%,or 75% or 90% of this list fulfilled to be happy? Does it take all of these desires to find happiness?
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Please share what part of the list has brought happiness and why?
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Are any of these items permanent? Can Impermanent things bring happiness. Are we vulnerable to loss if we consider impermanent things as happiness?
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Junior Seau just shot himself in the heart. He had a thousand times more in fame, icon status, money, stature, many friends and it could not even keep him alive. Are you chasing things that will not give you happiness?
Posted by jeffssong on May 18, 2012 at 12:12 am
When I was about 15 I started studying the aged at the VA (volunteer) to try to determine why some were so happy and some were not. By the time I hit 21 I ‘crashed’ and burned rather badly. By 24 I became focused on a single goal: try to be happy. And I’ve worked on it ever since.
Even at that time I knew it couldn’t come from outside; it had to come from within. For me it meant changing all my attitudes and perceptions; I still have a long way to go on some of them. But the strive for happiness has been my goal for a long long time – and I feel (and others say) I seem to have accomplished some of it. It’s been really hard – but it comes from within – which is what you are saying here.
Studies have found that after 50K per year (annual earnings) most people don’t find that much more happiness in life – no matter how rich they are. Just goes to show something.
And the fact is: ever since my 24th birthday or so – every wish I’ve ever made has been this one:
I just want to be happy. Nothing else.
Seems to be working so far . . . just a lot of learning in life to do. And I had it down good last year – really good. What a wonderful feeling it is . . . being happy and not caring anymore . . . about anything.
Posted by Marty on May 18, 2012 at 12:26 am
What an inspiration Jeff. never give up, never give in. We can change and grow.
There is not a destination. No career, no money no power. The journey and the ability to be present in this moment without worry or distraction brings us very close to experiencing happiness.
Life has suffering, if you accept this idea, then life just is. We have so many breaths, please value them.
Try your best everyday.
Nice job Jeff