The Pursuit of Happiness

There are some phrases in the Declaration of Independence that I find objectionable, but the "pursuit of happiness" is not one of them. I think Thomas Jefferson got that one just right.

Bow enjoying the very green scenery this 4th of July

We are not guaranteed that we will catch up with happiness if we pursue it, because like a clever little rabbit it can lead us on a merry chase.

Happiness is like the hummingbird in our peripheral vision: we may never be able to focus enough to get a clear shot.

Nobody is responsible for our happiness but ourselves, and even we cannot guarantee the results. Happiness is like a rare flower that blooms for a short while, if at all. But the pursuit of happiness is an ongoing process.

And despite all the admonitions to remain "in the moment", the pursuit of happiness, like any pursuit, has time built into it. It is a sequence in time, like a piece of music or a chase scene, and is not properly captured in a still shot, unless it somehow conveys motion.

Bow and I have our past, and our future, and right now, sandwiched in between the two, is where we pursue the happiness to come, while enjoying the contentment that comes from that pursuit.

Grey skies and bad weather are part and parcel of it all. If we were guaranteed that all our dreams would come true, that would put an end to the pursuit. It would finish off all the fun. We'd have little to look forward to. There would be nothing left to hope for.

It's in the dreams we dream along the way that passing pleasure and true joy can both be found. And that is the secret to happiness. It's all in the chase!