Happy.

“Just after high school a girl asks me ‘what do you want in life?’ My answer was big and lengthy including a large home, cars, money. After I finished, I asked the same question. She answered ‘I just want to be happy.’ That answer had changed my life and still does. Nothing really matters if you're not truly happy.”

That is a post from someone on my Facebook friend list. At first it seemed like such a profound thing to say. It seemed like such a simple, noble goal. However, when I thought for a minute longer I started wondering what “I just want to be happy” means in this context.

My conclusion was that it meant nothing, nothing at all. Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone KNOWS they just want to be happy. No one, when asked what they want in life will say “I hope to be miserable someday.” (Mentally disturbed not included.)

When I ask someone what they want in life, my implied question is “What would help you reach happiness?” When I ask you what you want from life, and you answer me with a list of things, be they material or metaphysical, then you are merely telling me what would make you happy. You’re just answering a very basic life question with more detail. Sure, your idea of what would make you happy might be misguided, or not, but that does not change that fact that you are in essence telling me that you want to be happy and that you think these things would help you achieve that goal.

If someone asks you “What do you want in life?” , feel free to list things because. I’m sure that, just like me, you just want to be happy, but unlike me, you at least have an idea of what you think will work.

*** This post, and an answer like that, does make you think about your current path, and if what you choose to focus on will indeed make you happy. Happiness is a feeling, a feeling you can have right now. Getting things might make you happy, but sometimes getting rid of things might do just as well. Find out why you are not happy first and work on correcting that.