Happiness is a puzzling thing

These days I can't help but wonder what happiness really is, the concept of happiness differs from one to another, everyone of us has his/her own perception of happiness, for example lets say that A guy called Mohammed won the lottery. A cool BD 25 million ! He appeared to be a good man with a good character. Of the many types of people who might have won, his friends were happy it was Mohammed. But two years later he was arrested for drink driving, resisting arrest and having drugs in his car. The arrests continued over the next few years. The excitement of winning did not grow into a lifelong happiness.

While Ali, a successful businessman, who had no friends, worked long hours, saving and reinvesting most of his money. He was disliked for his independence and envied for his wealth. Yet his life was full of contentment and happiness. Why does wealth bring happiness to some and misery to others? This thought really got me confused :O

If wealth is not a shortcut to happiness, what is ? One might count sacrificing for others as a ticket to happiness ! OK then, lets say that Mona is a volunteer in an elderly care center, she works there 6 days /week, 52 weeks a year, but hates it, hates her life, and has grown especially bitter towards the people she serves.

Yasmeen, an engineer, never does volunteer work. If she gives to charity, she does so very selectively. Acquaintances envious of her success call her selfish. Yet Yasmeen is very happy.

There are many people who we think should be happy but are not. (Mohammed the "lucky" lottery winner and Mona the "serious" volunteer.)

There are many people who we think should be miserable but are not. (Ali the "loner" businessman and Yasmeen the "selfish" engineer.)

Some people who seem to have nothing are very happy. Some people who seem to have everything are not. Yet some jet-setters seem happy while some moral crusaders have become miserable old grouches. I can't help but think that happiness seems very unpredictable, inconsistent, irrational. I yearn for the simpler times I had as a kid, when a toy or a kick of a ball would make me happy, sadly this is not the case anymore ! Don't miss understand me, I am very happy and I enjoy every minute of my life.

To me being successful is happiness, this is what keeps me going, this is what makes me wake up everyday ! Will this change within time ? God only knows, but for now this is the main ingredient in my life (Success = Happiness). So what is happiness to you? A penny for your thoughts people ! ;)