happy happy joy joy

I ran a little test today, i asked people i know one thing, just one thing;

what makes you happy?

And boy, what an uproar that caused with some. I wanted to see what responses i got, all the while not knowing what to expect. I thought of the usual things people would say; food, shopping, tv, games, etc. etc. others shot back stating that you can't answer that question, it's much too complex with many variables such as weather, the alignment of the moon with mars and venus, and whether they're on their period or not.. ok, maybe i made that last part up, BUT, we have a dilemma, folks, and it's the fact that we do not know what makes us truly happy. Or we think that happiness is some external entity that dictates when and where we feel it.

Weather? Uncontrollable in any form, unless you count a butterfly's wing flap in australia causing a tornado in texas control. So, the theory goes; if it snows/cloudy/cold/hails/rains pure nuclear acid, we're to feel bad and act on it as if it's a bad day? Who wrote this shit? Is that why philly is so stooped in misery? Because it rains/snows a quarter of the year [probably more]? Here, let me post the whole message so you can see what i'm trying to deal with:

hef: what makes you happy?

Someperson: huh? As in what?

H: it's a simple question. What makes you happy?

S: no, it's not that simple. There are certain elements of life that require different levels of happiness, like life, love, work, friends, weather, etc. now if you need advice, then tell me.

H: you're missing the point, but thanks.

So, do i need advice on how to be happy? Am i, who all along thought i was gleefully running about in my life, need advice on how to live and deal with, uh, life, love, friends, work, and weather?

But while that was the longest non-answer i received, plenty of people chimed back with the simple things;

SomeOtherPerson: food, money, and having fun.

RandomGuy: weekends, summer nights, friends, family, cars, playing games, laying in the shade, driving, car shows, food, california..

Dude: life i guess

HumanMale: a stress-free life, perhaps?

HotBloodedWoman: sleep

FemmeFatale: ..thoughtful things people do, when a man acts with chivalry, animals, music, spending time with my family. Good food makes me really happy, i even do a little dance in my chair if it's really good.. you?

Whoa whoa whoa, i'm asking the question here!

But what makes me happy? After all, i'm asking all these people, have i formulated my answer?

I would have to say that my answer would coincide very much with Dude's answer; life.

I mean, hell, i left class today, walked out of the building, and LAUGHED at NOTHING. Maybe i was laughing at myself, maybe i was laughing because i'm mentally unstable with a hint of psychosis, maybe i was laughing because i was part of a hysterical joke in which no one knew the punchline.. or maybe it's because in that moment, i realized i was alive, and with that realization ripped a lightning bolt through my body that confirmed it. It was a fantastic energy and a smile came onto my face that wasn't easily wiped off, like a sharpie drawn on while you were passed out drunk.

So, my happiness is within life, with all its trials and tribulations, all its glorious victories and joyous moments, and everything and anything that comes to it. I know it sounds overly presumptuous to say such things in light of tragedies that occur on a daily basis with billions of species suffering across the world.

But haven't you learned? Life is suffering. And that's a topic i guess i'll touch on another, day as micheal jackson says with the kiddies at neverland ranch..