Happiness

The past couple of weeks I have thought a lot about happiness and the nature of it. I have talked with many friends and family about the subject. I asked many questions life how they define happiness, what makes them happy, and where it comes from. I have been enlightened with so many different answers and ideas and I am fascinated with it all! I wanted to share a thought or two on happiness. (Not to mention, I just got back from Disneyland where you can't help but feel happy!)

I found a talk given by President James E. Faust a number of years ago called "Our Search for Happiness". In his talk he said a few things that I don't think we recognize on our own. President Faust said, "Having lived quite a few years now, I have concluded that since we don't always desire that which is good, having all our desires granted to us would not bring us happiness. In fact, instant and unrestrained gratification of all our desires would be the shortest and most direct route to unhappiness." 


The Prophet Joseph Smith taught,"Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 255–56).


In closing this is a poem given in President Faust's talk with an unknown author:


Success is speaking words of praise,

In cheering other people’s ways,

In doing just the best you can

With every task and every plan.

It’s silence when your speech would hurt,

Politeness when your neighbor’s curt.

It’s deafness when the scandal flows

And sympathy with others’ woes.

It’s loyalty when duty calls.

It’s courage when disaster falls.

It’s patience when the hours are long.

It’s found in laughter and in song.

It’s in the silent time of prayer,

In happiness and in despair.

In all of life and nothing less,

We find the thing we call success.