Happiness

So after reading a few philosophy thesis about the concept of happiness, I have thought long and hard about it myself. Today at the bus station a man asked when the 807 is going to come, of which I told him would arrive in a few minutes. After a minutes of small talk he told me ' You know what really bothers me, I have a beautiful wife, two wonderful kids and a well paid 9-5 job yet I'm not happy with life at the moment.' This got me really thinking, I mean a lot of us all grow up seeking what this man has,  yet he wasn't happy.....

I remember reading extracts from Viktor Frankl book 'Man's search for meaning' a Jewish psychiatrist who was arrested and transported into a concentration camp. Three years later when the camp was freed most of his family including his pregnant wife died, but he prisoner number 119104 lived. He concluded from this experiences at the camp that the difference between those that lived and those that perished came down to one thing, Meaning a insight that came early in his life. He recounts how a chemistry teacher told him once that life is nothing more than a combustion process. He jumped out of his chair and told the teacher 'Sir if that is so what is the meaning of life.' As he saw in the camps those that found meaning in life even in the most horrendous circumstances were far more resilient  to suffering that those that did not. "Everything can be taken from man except one thing, the last of human freedom , to choose one's attitude in any given circumstances, to choose one's own way.' He writes of two suicidal inmates both hopeless thinking that there was nothing else to live for in life. ' In this case it was getting them to realize that life was still excepting something from them. For one man it was his young son still living in a foreign country. For the other, a scientist, it was the series of books that he needed to finish.'

Frankl writes ' This uniqueness and singleness which distinguishes each individual and gives a meaning to his existence has a bearing on creative work as much as it does on human love. When the impossibility of replacing a person is realized, it allows the responsibility which a man has for his existence has its continuance to appear in all its magnitude. A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears towards a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the 'why' for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any 'how'.'

I'm still trying to wrap my head around that...

I guess striving for happiness makes you a 'taker' rather than a 'giver' happiness is about drive reduction. If your hungry you satisfy, if you want something you buy it. People become happy, in other words, when they get what they want. Happy people get a lot of joy from erecieving benefits from others while leading meaningful lives get a lot of joy from giving to others. Living a meaningful life is like using your highiest strengths and talents to belong and serve something you believe is larger then the self. Which in fact is a very hard thing to do. Happiness is an emotion felt here and there, ultimately fades away just as all emotions do. After experiencing depression and getting out of it I think suffering and negative events does decrease your happiness but it overall increases the amount of meaning you have in life. You start to appreciate life more, and not take everything you have for granted. I guess if there is any meaning in life at all, there must be meaning in suffering.

I guess by devoting our lives to 'giving' rather than 'taking' we are not only expressing our fundamental humanity, but are also acknowleding  that there is more to the good life than the pursuit of simple happiness.

.....keep smiling :)

What an awesome cop

So today  I saw this video where a man was dancing by himself to the music (whatta brave soul) then a police officer feels the vibe and joins in, challenging each other with dance moves. It was such a feel good video, knowing that there are people out there that aren't afraid of having a good time. That old man sure does have the moves like jagger. Gotta love Aussie Land

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=352261971540074&set=vb.350254428407495&type=2&theater

Dog paddle

Today at the pools after doing doing my normal laps, I decided to do the dog paddle to see how long it would take to get across to the other side. So after dog paddling around half way this beautiful half cast girl looks at me and laughs. She then asked if I knew how to swim, I opened to my mouth to say yes, in the gist of the moment however I said no. She then proceeded and ask do you want me to teach you. At this point in time I was kinda nervous and didn't know what to say, so I just nodded my head. From there she went on teaching me all the four strokes the freestyle, breast stroke, butterfly and the back stroke. I acted dumb the whole time pretending to not know how to swim. She was so down to earth sharing stories of how she accidentally let one rip when she received best dressed back in high school graduation, to how she fell into the mud face first after coming 2nd in high jump. So after about 90 minutes she mum waved to her asking her to go home. I told her that I would probably see her next week without asking for her contacts details. However after she got dressed she came up to me with a notepad asking for my email, telling me that we'll keep in contact. Email how interesting....