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Home
and Family
Keep Smiling
Short inspirational pieces by Avrohom Tzvi Schwartz, Kiryat
Sefer, author of A Handful of Light, Hearts on Fire
and other works on Mussar and Hashkofa
Circle of Happiness
Where do we stand on the Circle of Happiness? This is not a
simple question. We keep swiveling around. At one moment we
can be close to depression -- at the next, close to
ecstasy.
Still, there is an average position that we hold -- that we
guard -- for ourselves, for our families, for our day, for
our week. This position depends on how close we are to having
what we need. Do we have the food we want? Are our living
conditions comfortable? Do we have family, friends to
interact with, live with, support and be supported by,
encourage and be encouraged? Do we have stimulating,
meaningful activities to fill our minutes, our hours?
And still, no person reaches perfect happiness. Somehow, it
escapes us, stands beyond us.
Within our desire to increase our happiness lies our
challenge. Will we look for honest, honorable ways to fill
this gap in our life? Or will we look for cheap thrills,
extravagance? Worse, will we mock and make fun of others for
our pleasure?
The first option is the true target, something great, awesome
-- but it requires great and awesome efforts. The second,
while easy, is a mistake. For by acting in evil, ugly ways,
we lose Hashem's support and blessing and step onto the path
that leads only to poverty, misery and unhappiness.
Only with wise decisions may we be happy.
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