Imprisoned by a Rainbow

Writing in today's Wall Street Journal, Jonathan Clements observes:

We may have life and liberty. But the pursuit of happiness isn't going so well.

As a country, we are richer than ever. Yet surveys show that Americans are no happier than they were 30 years ago.

One of the most important lessons I learned as an undergraduate at Harvard is that money doesn't buy happiness. Many of the world's weathiest parents sent their sons and daughters to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and very few of my exceedingly rich classmates were well-adjusted or content.

Clements misses the point in his column. People who base their happiness on external circumstances will never be truly happy. John Segal, Clements illustrator, appears to understand. His cartoon shows a well-dressed, yet sad indidivual imprisoned by a rainbow. His sadness is not based on his envirnoment, his sadness springs from within.

Perhaps you have seen the motivational poster "success is a journey, not a destination". I'm sure you've known someone who has achieved their goals, only to discover that the goals brought no intrinsic satisfaction. Unless you learn to enjoy the journey or the pursuit, personal happiness will be illusive.

Our Declaration of Independence states:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Please note, we do not have an inalienable right to happiness. We have an inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness.

We have a choice. We can pursue discontent and dissatisfaction. Or we can pursue happiness. Which do you choose?