The pursuit of happiness

Happiness is a direction, not a place.

~ Sydney J. Harris

The smile I wear today hides a subtle but lingering sadness.

I am hyper-aware of all the hardship and suffering experienced by those around me and throughout the world.

Elevating someone else’s mood lightens my heavy heart but reminds me that there is more to do.

I numb the sadness with busyness and agency, refusing to ever add to the collective burden.

Why the sadness this week

I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.

― Carl Gustav Jung

I went to my mother’s for her follow-up remote psychiatric appointment yesterday. I brought nutritious food and visited before the doctor's call.

Mom’s feelings of overwhelm, grief and loneliness have manifested in physical and emotional pain. She takes over a dozen prescribed drugs that offer little to no relief. But she believes that there is a magic pill out there, and she is determined to find it.

The psychiatrist is kind. She focuses on chemistry, working hard to manage the perceived chemical imbalance.

The complexity of that task is daunting and doesn’t resonate with me. I feel helpless.

Fortunately, mom has been referred to a Portuguese-speaking psychotherapist. The first remote consultation takes place Monday.

I hope that consulting with someone with a more holistic approach, who speaks her language, will save the day.

Closing thoughts

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

My pursuit is not personal happiness. It is our collective well-being.

Doing what I can to make a positive difference in the lives of others is what gets me up in the morning.

The subtle discontent is what motivates me. It is a blessing, not a curse.

Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing.

~ Napoleon Hill