Michael F. DuBois

It was written into history by the founding fathers of America. We are all entitled to it, I am entitled to it, yet I don’t know if I understand it.

The Pursuit of Happiness.

I understand that there are things we must all pursue in life, that in order to become better people we must set goals for ourselves and achieve them, and I agree with all of that. However, the idea of pursuing happiness, or searching for it, just doesn’t feel right. If we are to pursue happiness, that means there must be a long journey of unhappiness before we reach the end of our pursuit. And, who is to say how long our pursuit may last? What if we spend our entire lives pursuing happiness, what if everyday is spent looking, instead of just actually seeing?

I understand that there are certain things in life that may hold us back from being happy. Heartbreak, poverty, illness, death. And, I understand that by pursuing a way out of these things, we may in turn be happy. However, what if you spend your entire life searching for happiness, and on the day you die, you still have not finished your pursuit?

What I feel, what I believe, is that happiness is not something that is found, it is something that just exists and something that is created. The truth is, there is happiness all around us, on every street, in every country, and in every single one of us. Instead of pursing happiness, instead of looking for it every single day, why can’t we just allow ourselves to see it? We run around everyday, all on this great pursuit, and we never allow ourselves to slow down enough to actually find the happiness in the ones around us, never allow ourselves to see the beauty in the world we are actually running around in. Even in the most stressful moments, even in the saddest of times, there is happiness to be seen, happiness to be felt. And, in the times where there is no happiness in sight, where there is nothing left to be felt, we must allow ourselves to seize the moment, to take responsibility in the day, and create the happiness that we want to feel. For, if you have the power to make another person happy on a day that they have lost all hope, even for just a moment, they will soon share that happiness with someone else, and they with another, and in turn, will someday return to you on a day when you have nothing left to give as well. As fast as hate may travel, love travels twice as strong, and even with just a smile, you can contribute to the kind of world you want to see.

So, the next time you are walking down the street, on your way to pursue your happiness, try just stopping for a moment, look up from what you are doing, and say hello to the person next to you. And although you may never see them again, you will forever be able to consider that person a friend, not an enemy. With just happiness, with just love of the moment, you can change your world.

And when all of our worlds change, the entire world changes as well.