Actually, we humans are very sensitive and compassionate folk. What do we expect from life? A few simple things: respectable financial security, emotional security from family and life partner, and experiencing enough happy moments to feel that we have lived life to the fullest.

Well, regarding financial security, it happens that some people overdo it. I’m trying to hint that they are never satisfied with what they have. On the other hand, others accumulate excessive amounts of money on the backs of others, and in the end, it results in a considerable gap between the classes in society. But let’s keep believing the majority is satisfied with a proper financial backbone to fulfill ordinary pursuits.

Regarding emotional security, it doesn’t depend only on others’ attitudes and behaviors but also on ours. This means we must also work and sacrifice time to maintain our relationships with others and sometimes reduce our expectations. Not everything goes the way you wish.

At this point, we arrive at the matter of happiness. Sometimes, it feels very challenging to achieve or experience happiness. There are times when happy moments come very easily but last very short, or different times you have to wait very long. But again, it lasts very short since you can’t believe it and think there’s something fishy going on, or the long waiting has changed your expectations of the desired outcome. That means that when this wish fulfillment finally arrives, you don’t enjoy that happy feeling enough.

About long-lasting happy moments? I don’t know…. Do they exist???

My personal conclusion is that we expect too much from happiness, so I decided not to think about it too much, enjoy every different feeling wandering inside me, live life as it comes, and try my best.

Long story short, I bumped into a very suitable quote for that theme, and I hope you like it. I think it’s a good, inspiring guide.

I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness:

a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea.

Nothing else.

~Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek~