It’s been a while since I’ve written on the subject of happiness. I’m not depressed, but I wanted to take a break from that subject and fumbled with a book idea. So that’s where my mind has been. 

But, to get on topic, I was thinking of how life resembles a carousel; or a roundabout. Here we are spinning on this rock as it rotates around the Sun. Like the horses of a carousel, we have our ups and our downs. No one is ahead, and no one is behind. 

On a carousel, we are all friends. Laughter and high emotions fill the air. Happiness is the primary purpose for the roundabouts. I have never seen a carousel built to harm anyone. That’s what got me thinking; perhaps this planet’s creation was for us to find happiness. So, that would mean that the purpose of life is to be happy. 

There are three states of happiness. First-person happiness is my happiness, second-person happiness is your happiness, and third-person happiness is their happiness. In first-person, it is vital to find our happiness. We cannot bring joy to others if we are depressed. Sorry, life doesn’t work like that. Once we can maintain our happiness, we should focus on those around us. This is being a friend. Learning how to keep a happy friendship may be difficult for some. We all have different expectations of others. Some of us love drama and cause problems just to have something to solve. In comparison, others may have low expectations and end up neglecting their friends. Understanding the needs of those around us allows us to manage our friendships better. An example of third-person happiness is when someone watches us enjoy a moment together. When someone feels joy because they like what they see in our friendship, that is something special. Many people observe how my wife and I interact, and they replicate our actions in the hope of finding the happiness we have. Frequently, it works for them, but because we are all different, some do not have favorable results. 

We are all on the same ride for a short time. When it is over, we will join those who have gone before us. But while we are on, we should take the time to enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of everything around us. Anyone can tell us what is wrong. That’s easy. Complaining comes second nature to us. But, praising and complimenting each other, well, that’s more complicated at first. Do it every day to different people, and it becomes easier. Don’t compliment the same person every day repeatedly over and over. That would become redundant and repetitive, just like this sentence.

As stated earlier, The world is like a carousel and is meant to bring happiness. Take the time to find it. Until the next blog, live life and be happy.