Happiness

Dear Reader,

There are a lot of ups and downs
in life. Given these changes, how
can we be happy?
I am plowing through Edith
Hall’s book, Aristotle’s Way. She indicates
that Aristotle thought happiness
to be a state of mind no matter
what is happening to you. He
said happiness is the central purpose of life, and that it
can be achieved by living moderately, without excesses
that can be so alluring. It’s achieved by dealing with the
day to day fabric and texture of life and habitually doing
the right thing on a continuous basis.
Happiness is not the same as having wealth, power,
or fame, since many who have those become tainted
and conflicted. It’s a contentment we achieve when we
know ourselves, live according to our values, and avoid
getting sucked into what others seem to want us to
be. Happiness comes when we cultivate virtues in our
own character and in the way we deal with family and
friends.
Seems like a tall order. But it also makes sense: When
we are true to ourselves, we have the serenity of living
in accord with our highest values. Living the best version
of ourselves each day is certainly worth striving
for since it makes for a happier community that all of us
can engage in for both the short and the long run.

Patrick J. Wood
Publisher