Happy Thoughts
Happy events make us happy. Isn't this a simple idea? No, not
at all. Happy events make for happy thoughts, and happy
thoughts make us happy. We anticipate something special,
something glorious, something exciting and funny, and we are
happy. Conversely, we do not think thoughts that are sad,
bad, scary, and we are not unhappy.
Accordingly, we should not need happy events to make us
happy. We should just think happy thoughts. To rely on happy
events is a weakness. Still, to be happy without outside help
is something most of us don't know how to do.
Unhappy events do sadden us. We must know though, that we can
change ourselves, we can work on and improve ourselves. And
in working on ourselves, and in improving our ability to
think happy thoughts, we will find a special key to
happiness.
Happiness, Hashem
What is the happiest thought in the world? It's "Hashem."
The first tendency — for most of us — is to say
"ice- cream." For, as children, this truly was a very happy
thought. And since mostly, we don't mature as we should
mature — and we don't think as we should think —
we remain with our childish perceptions.
Even if we don't think "ice-cream," how far have we advanced?
In other words, if our happiest thought is a wedding, a
sports car, diamonds or ten million dollars, this is still
small. These items, while they provide us some pleasure, some
exhilaration, do not really make us happy — not in a
meaningful way, not in a lasting way.
So the real answer is Hashem. For, only Hashem is forever,
and only Hashem is safe. He gives us life, daily
opportunities to grow, to be great. He watches us, and
ultimately gathers us to Himself. He is our beginning, our
middle, and our end. He is everything we have, and everything
we expect to have.
Moreover, the more we look to Hashem — with trust, with
hope — the easier we may access the happiness He has to
give us.
