HAPPINESS

After I had removed the parts of it that were uninteresting to me (in the form of the sport, travel, kiddies, adverts, holiday sections) and leaving HALF the original pages, I came across this piece in the Sunday paper.
Entitled "happy Trail" (shockin bloody grammar - probably some 'creative' wanker's idea of layout style), it showed a pretty blonde jumping on a sofa with wild abandon in a big flowing dress and perfectly styled hair. Quite obviously elated about something (Hey barman! I'll have a pint of what she's drinkin!!) Or maybe she'd just had a night with yours truly, heh heh :)

The text belows launches into what makes us happy.

Clinical psychologist, Susan Raine, claims we are pinning our hopes on what we want to be happy rather than what we HAVE. (She doesn't go on to discuss what to do if one has, in fact, nothing!)

Then Dr Timothy Sharp offers his tuppence worth (though I'd be surprised if THAT'S what he was paid for his contribution).
Dr Tim is the founder of The Happiness Institute (excuse me while I have a chuckle at that...and consider starting my own "Grumpy" Institute, or "Grumpy and otherwise dissatisfied with life in general Institute".
Dr Tim goes on to explain that it's like buying a new car; that at the start when it's all new and fresh in the mind, it's great but when the days and weeks pass by the effect begins to wear off and thus the level of happiness. Leading to us once again aiming for something new to satisfy our consuming desires.

The article goes on to...well, frankly waffle on with quotes and stats and my eyes begin to glaze so I speed read over the page filler which really is all the majority of the piece is - in fact, a lot of modern writing is that way.
And finishes with the almost American like "have a nice day" pleasantry. Make today the happiest day of your life, it suggests. Yah! I will...as soon as I find out how cause your article has told me sweet bugger all! Hope no-one got paid for this drivel.

How do we really find happiness? Hmmm...it depends; on how easily manipulated you are. The easily led think it can be found in material things; big house in a flash neighbourhood; nice car; the cliched picket fence.
Those with a mind of their own, however, know it isn't IN these things one finds happiness - it's the ability to obtain them with relative freedom that brings the security of independence and therefore happiness.
For me? Well, that's easy - just leave me the fuck alone! I don't mean I want to be a hermit or something but I would be much happier if I didn't have someone standing round every corner telling me I can't do this or that.

Friends. Good friends are also what brings happiness but a/ I wouldn't know anything about that as I don't have any and b/ they seem to be harder to find (which is converse as the planet fills with more and more potentials).

At heart, it's a matter of mind; happiness comes from within and while extraneous factors motivate such feelings of contentment, they are superficial. True happiness comes from a sense of contentment. Content that we're secure financially and content that we're loved.