A Butterfly called Happiness

Muse : You want to write a blog post on happiness?Wouldn't it be better to write a book on it with the title " 376 ways to be happy" and appear on talkshows and promote it, and try to make a million? After all everyone wants to be happy.

Self : Maybe I don't want to be happy

Muse : Huh I know you are on the crazier side, but surely everyone wants to be happy

Self : Well there is a difference between satisfaction and happiness. For eg, if my home gets water (which can be considered a luxury in India) I am merely satisified, but if the water supply is cut off for a day, I become unhappy and grumble. Similarly when 24000 die everyday from hunger, I am merely satisfied if I have a good lunch. So I have decided searching for happiness has no logic, when being satisfied itself is a big deal in today's world. Anyway I think I have arrived at the formula for happiness - Stop expecting and start accepting.

Muse : Well I guess if we realise that its futile to expect others to be what we want them to be and there is only one person we can change and thats ourself. And buying stuff which we think will make us happy, will give only temporary pleasure, but not happiness, makes sense (and reduces the credit card amount). But isnt accepting being passive and having a "I give up attitude" .

Self : an excerpt from an article I read in http://www.almamater.com/
"When acceptance precedes any action , there will be happiness in that action
When resistance precedes any action,there will be misery in that action.
Action is a necessity for any progess, but the question is do you want to happily progress or miserably progess.
There is lot of difference between "I dont like WHAT IS, so I want to be THIS" and "I accept WHAT IS and now I would make it THIS
.....Misery and Bliss are not matter of destiny, but a matter of choice born out of choosing resistance or acceptance.
The argument is not about what has to be done... the question is what preceds that action... resistance or acceptance?
When i resist what is happening in life, what is happening in life continues to happen, creating misery in me. When I accept what is happening in life, what is happening in life continues to happen leaving me blissful."

Muse : Ha Ha so you do want to be happy and blissful

Self : Well its something like wanting the butterfly, the moment you try to catch it, it flies away. Act indifferent and it comes to you.

Muse : But will this apply for those with problems?

Self : Its easier said than done. And thats for me too. But lets realise even Bill Gates has problems. Instead of thinking I would be happy if so and so conditions are fulfilled, its better to think I can be happy even if the so and so conditions are not fulfilled. Happiness in life cant be achieved by escaping from problems, but by tackling problems. It would be stupid if Saurav Ganguly thought, I can hit a century provided the bowler doesnt bowl a short one. (Sorry Saurav:D)

Muse : Hmmm if happiness is a butterfly, what is sorrow, a mosquito :D

Self : Maybe a caterpillar :)