Happiness Along the Way

Those only are happy who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness; on the happiness of others, on the improvement of mankind, even on some art or pursuit, followed not as a means, but as itself an ideal end. Aiming thus at something else, they find happiness by the way.
(John Stuart Mill)

Christian and I had a discussion today, can we actually work on our happiness?  What do you think? We can work on happiness, but as John Stuart Mill already observed a few hundred years ago, happiness is more an outgrowth of something we really enjoy doing; and as we do what we enjoy doing we suddenly look up and realize how happy we are! Well, that's what traveling the Way is all about. We experience how the Tao steers us in a direction; we welcome the many voices and puzzles that come our way, and in all that we find meaning. So that's what we can do, follow the Tao every day and find happiness that way.

Sure, life throws a few challenges at us. Everyone experiences the ups and downs of life, even a spiritual  traveler will. However, happiness definitely becomes a frequent and reliable visitor independent of whether we are climbing to the top of the mountain or descend into a valley. Possessions come and go, friends visit or depart, challenges show up and disappear, but in all this we will always see the handwriting of the Tao. And along this path there are many smiles, and a lot of gratitude and love no matter what the situation may turn out to be.

Walking the Tao is very much like planting produce - you have to work on it all the time. You have to take care of the field before you plant the seeds. You have to add fertilizer and water, and you have to wait for the sun. Sometimes have to remove weeds as well. And then you have to wait. You experience the seeds sprouting up; you see the magnificent harvest growing seemingly out of nothing. The produce is the accumulated sum of your hard work, input and love. The produce gives you the meaning, and meaning gives you the happiness. Nothing else does.

 Join us on our journey and participate in the harvest. Yes there will be a few cold and dry spells and a few cloudy days. But in your journey there is so much creativity, so much love and so much fun! Don't think about happiness, find happiness along the Way.

By Christian and Su Zhen