At least that is what Viktor Frankl says in his book Man's Search For Meaning. We can only experience happiness by ceasing to try to achieve it. Happiness comes upon one once she stops living life for her own selfish satisfaction and devotes it to others or some life work or cause.
It's an interesting concept. I don't know if I agree wholeheartedly with the sacrifice part. But I do think that happiness eludes those who chase it.
I believe that happiness comes in moments. Happiness is not a state of mind; or something that can be captured. You can't will it. Can't pursue it. Can only wait for it to come. Instead it's a few minutes of reflection, of stepping outside ofyourself, and looking around and realizing that you enjoy the company of those surrounding you. Or that there is nothing you would change about a particular moment in time. Sometimes I think we don't even realize happiness until the moment is past. Looking back on a memory and realizing that we were utterly content for those minutes or hours. Utterly satisfied.
Happiness is fleeting. I'm trying to learn to recognize and value the moments as they come. Those memories of happiness are what make the rest of life worth what it costs us.
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