In "Story of a Soul," St. Therese of Lisieux offers this insight on where happiness can be found. Rather, where happiness IS found.
"I realized very clearly that happiness has nothing to do with the material things which surround us; it dwells in the very depth of the soul." (79)
To take a look at this, all you have to do is to thing about the things which make you happiest. Odds are they will not be things like your TV, or your car, or your computer. If those are the first things you think of, be wary! Your happiness is very fleeting, because those things will not provide you with long lasting, sustaining happiness.
For truly happy people, their joy and happiness lies in their loved ones, their experiences, and the things to which they dedicate their life. These are the things which provide a more fulfilling happiness, one which cannot be taken away by the loss of possessions or circumstance.
For me, it is easy to find that the things that make me happiest are not my material possessions. They are things like going for a hike with my fiancee, reading a good book, getting a letter in the mail or writing a letter, coming upon a beautiful site in the outdoors, Adoring Our Lord, or making someone else smile or laugh.
None of these things are dependent on material possessions or wealth, but they come from the very depths of the soul. They come from those free gifts given to us by God, through the natural beauty of the earth, our friends and loved ones, or our own curiousity.
What brings you happiness?
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