HAPPINESS
"Happiness is merely a state of mind," quoted the Parlor Philosopher.
"If you mean happiness is imaginary I quite agree with you," replied the Mere Man. "Just watch a fellow enjoying his fifty-cent cigar, when he knows very well it's really the old five-center he used to scorn."
Keep happy when the weather's fair,
Hum with the cheerful throng;
Be glad that God has let you share
The joys of sun and song.
Keep happy when the weather's wet
The sun may hide to-day;
But back of the clouds, I'll bet,
He's smiling, anyway!
—Luke McLuke.
All who joy would win
Must share it—Happiness was born a twin.
—Byron.
Happiness is not a fixed quantity, like the world's gold supply: so that the more one man has the less his neighbor is likely to have. Real happiness is an infection. You can never force it upon any one. Each individual must "take" it. I have heard people say, as explaining the misery of many, that there is not enough happiness to go around. But the comment misses the very nature of happiness. The more there is in the world, the more there is likely to be. The larger the number of happy people the faster the infection will spread. But each must invite it. One child is happy with the crudest sort of toy, whereas another child is unhappy with an armful of toys. To the latter kind of soul, grown or ungrown, you can never give happiness, for there are not enough toys to supply everybody. Happiness is of the heart not of circumstances.
After reading a poem about a little boy who was so happy because there were lovely flowers, beautiful birds, blue sky and running brooks, eight-year-old William remarked:
"Those things would never make me happy, Miss Jones."
"Why, William," replied his teacher, "what would it take to make you happy?"
"Saturdays!" was the prompt reply.—Harper's.
The good fairy brought an ingot of lead and an ingot of gold and laid them before him. "Choose!" she said, simply.
The child thought a moment, and chose the lead.
"It's no heavier to carry, it's just as good to eat, and it won't make everybody hate me!" quoth he.
The good fairy laughed.
"You can be happy without any help from me," she chirped, and flew away.