For years, we were told "Happiness is just around the corner - if only we'll work hard, earn money..." And a friend found this cartoon that certainly puts a good spin on how life feels lately. (If you paste in the URL for the animated version, its pretty cute!)
And our conversation about this turned to comparing life in the present to life say 100 years ago.
To me, it seems as if life "back in the old days" had a purpose. And you knew from a young age what that purpose was... mostly it was to survive off the land you were living on. It was hard work, and you learned to count on your neighbors, and were always willing to lend a hand to give back. Because that's what you did. Nearly every task you did during your day had meaning, it meant something in terms of how your life was going to be the next day, next week, or next month.
Do we have that in our present lives? How many tasks do you do during your own day that have no relevance to how your life will be in the coming days related to that task? We go to our jobs, we earn our money -- but then what? Do we ever find the happiness that's right about the corner? Some people do. Some people learn how to find balance. Some learn earlier than others, some not at all.
Happiness doesn't arrive like a package on UPS -- its in the little joys each and every day.
It's certainly not related to how much money we earn, or how much stuff we buy.
Consume less, live more.
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