Happiness

The amount of happiness that you have depends
on the amount of freedom you have in your heart. 

- Thich Nhat Hanh 

Happiness.....Sometimes it seems like such a vague word. Sometimes it seems to be unattainable. There are different levels of happiness....There is contentment which is a peaceful happiness and bliss which is extreme delight. Felicity is a formal type of fortunate happiness. Basically, happiness is being in a state of pleasure. Can this state be maintained every second of the day? According to Thich Nhat Hanh, it all depends on how much your soul is liberated from this world -how much freedom that you have in your heart.  

 From my experience, a soulful freedom is attained from letting go of worldly goals and expectations and just be....Accepting who you are.....and just being yourself as you were meant to be as a creation of God who is LOVE. St. Francis de Sales said it the best, "Don’t waste your time dreaming of being someone else. Don’t try to be someone else. Work and pray at being yourself. Be who you are, where you are. Concentrate on the little everyday problems and pains that beset you. Reserve your best efforts; expend your spiritual energy on what is right before you. This is what God asks of you. Listen closely. This is very important – and very misunderstood – for we all prefer to do what is to our personal liking. Very few of us choose duty first, or the will of God. Don’t cultivate someone else’s garden. Grow where you are planted.” This means that we are to LOVE where we are planted.

 To attain happiness, we need to LOVE in extreme measures like God which involves charity. When LOVE is so perfect that it moves us to do good carefully, frequently, and readily, then it is called devotion.  St. Francis de Sales states that we are called to be devout, and I believe that when we can be devout in a low-key focused manner, then we will attain extreme freedom in our hearts.  We will feel whole and fulfilled....blissful contentment...every second of the day.

As a side note, I want to describe how honored and amazed I am to know a few people who humbly demonstrate extraordinary devotion to not only their loved ones, but to strangers.  Their acts of love are inspiring, and their imperfect cultivated gardens supply my soul with nourishment and happiness.


May I daily remember to bloom patiently in order to spread the seeds of love while cultivating my garden. St. Raphael, guide my cultivation to happiness.