VOICES
Philosophy
November 15, 2017 | ISSUE 8
By Yuanrong Chen
What is meaning of life? What is happiness? Is it possible to find happiness? I think everyone has thought about similar questions, and some people may already have their own answers, but I have to say, whether your answers are similar or different from me, I hope to make you think.
We can’t find and control happiness. This is the main idea that I took from The Wisdom Books by Ecclesiastes. Just as the name of the book implies, the whole book is about finding wisdom, developing deep thoughts and contemplating the meaningfulness of life. When you first read the book, you might feel it’s boring, but after you read the book, a new world is waiting for you.
So what did the book teach me about happiness? It taught me that happiness is everywhere, it is sprinkled around the world, but it’s also the most mysterious, hidden in everything. Happiness is everywhere, as long as you feel it and contact it, you will feel that life is so meaningful. It doesn’t matter how little or how many times you feel happiness, the only thing that matters is that you really appreciate the true meaning of happiness and the value of it. If you don’t really appreciate the true meaning and value of happiness, then even if you have a lot of happiness, what is the use of it?
Before I read The Wisdom Books, I think it’s something to help me know what’s happiness. I was not sure what’s that thing. However, after I read The Wisdom Books, I think I get the answer of my questions. This is the book of hope also is a book of despair because this books teach me as long as you try to become happy, it will never come, but when you stop trying find happiness, the happiness will come. Just letting go and wait some time and happiness will come. Happiness is breath, which means it’s not something we control, you can’t make it happen, because it’s the product of the spiritual world
Maybe you think you life is dark, but to have darkness you always have to have light. Everything has two sides good and bad, when you fall in the bad situation, do not obsessed with the darkness because there must be light as well. Without the unhappiness, happiness also can’t exist.
Happiness won’t find those who are always trying to find it. Instead, stop trying to find happiness. Just think of your situation and how to improve is, and that will be the opportunity bring happiness closer to you. Happiness will know you are ready to have it. In life, the more you get, the more you will lose, for example, when your cup is full, you can’t add any more water, but if you drop some water, you can get some more. So you must accept that unhappiness also is part of life, but when it happens, you are just opening your cup up to fill up with new happiness.