I used to think happiness could be found in all those that believed in the meaning of the word. But as I became older, I realized that this false interpretation only existed within my own imagination. I used to believe happiness and the successful attainment of what I perceived to be good were synonyms; and that being happy had everything to do with the “if and then”. If I was this, then I would be content. This thought drove the very core of human nature to exceed beyond its maximum limits, and somewhere in between, we’ve lost the motivation that fuelled us in the first place.

When babies are born, do they really know the full capacity of what is supposed to put a smile on their face? Kids have the miraculous ability to live in the moment. An enviable trait I no longer possess, because let’s be honest; since when did the freedom to express your emotions become so unnatural? It’s as if a not-so invisible force prevents me from keeping silent the words unspoken, and the tears that threaten to fall are confined within the tiny corners of my eyes. On the contrary, a toddler would not and could not allow such force to detain them. The crooked path to our life long pursuit of happiness has changed, and accompanying it, is this greater need to continue seeking for an absolute best beyond all necessary effort.

When I was 8 years old, I thought happiness came in a box of Oreo cookies made perfect dipped in milk. Personally, it had nothing to do with the taste of the cookies at all, only the pure satisfaction of being able to practice twisting the two halves of the cookie apart from the thin layer of icing filling that stood in between them until it became deliciously proportioned. Nowadays, the snooze button on my alarm clock will suffice. My point is, being content isn’t meant to be a ceaseless state of being, in fact, one can only feel the full extent of it when it comes at all the right times and in all its correct forms, peculiar to that specific person. If happiness was only achieved through objects and not from within yourself, you’ll never truly own it. Those who are happy never did have everything, and those who seem to have everything are not necessarily happy. Maybe the fine line is; there is a little bit of loser in all of us. If I hit that snooze button one too many times, I risk the probability of being late, and those little moments of satisfaction soon turns into dread and panic. Being happy isn’t a remedy to your problems, unless you know how to apply it appropriately.

Look around you…life is wonderful. The world has so much offer, but we, in turn, fail to see what’s right before us. If we all knew the famous status quo of “nothing is perfect”, then why do we refuse to believe in ourselves even when proven wrong time after time? It’s because, we, as human beings like to constantly complicate things; when it’s all really quite simple. There is a lifetime supply of riches, vibrancy, and love if one can only learn to extract value from its simplicity. In all the isolated cracks and corners in life where happiness seems hopeless to be found, remember that it’s not about making anybody else happy. Life would be far too exhausting to handle otherwise.

The “if and then” effect has earned a new definition, and that is they consist of 3 artless little words much too insignificant to contribute any rational explanation of what happiness is all about. I long to live in the now. There might be times I’ll forget to close the door and let happiness sneak through, but I won’t ever deny its access. Our place in this world is restricted only by the amount of time we spend trying to make something out of it. But what if we have it all wrong? Happiness was never something needing to be pursued, instead, something that simply needed to be. Don’t let me be the messenger, learn to walk the fine line yourself. I’ll be over here dipping my cookies.