Happiness

From Eat, Pray, Love: 

"But that's not how happines works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't you will leak away your innate contentment. It's easy enough to pray when you're in distress but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments."

This seems like such wise advice doesn't it:  insisting on happiness. I believe her. I think it is probably the only way to go --- yet........ it wears me out to read. Why can't it be easier? Maybe that is what I want:  easy-going happiness.......... happiness that comes easily and stays with little effort.

Not likely, mostly.

She also says:  "I can see exactly where my episodes of unhappiness have brought suffering or distress or (at the very least) inconvenience to those around me. The search for contentment is, therefore, not merely a self-preserving and self-benefiting act, but also a generous gift to the world. Clearing out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else. Only then are you free to serve and enjoy other people."

Oh, I have so experienced this:  getting in my own way.

Though not easy, but rather essential, I will rest tonight and strive for happiness tomorrow. However, I must say............. I go to bed feeling................ happy.

Namaste