Happily Ever Now

          I opened my dictionary and turned to the definition of "happiness." It read: "Happiness: the state of being happy." Well thanks for nothing, dictionary. What am I supposed to do with that? Here I am wanting to be happy, and I can't even look up a definition so that I am able to tell when that time comes. Maybe it will be when I marry the man of my dreams. Maybe it will be when I own everything with a Kate Spade label on it. Maybe it will happen someday. Someday...but when will someday come?
          Let's think about this for a minute. If I am waiting for happiness, that must mean that someone else has to give it to me. The man gives me the ring, the salesperson gives me that new bag. If I am supposed to be happy ever after that, I think I should get some sort of certificate telling me that I am now free to be happy. I'll hang it up in my house so that I never forget that someone has given me permission to start being happy. Seems silly, doesn't it? Well it is. Why would we let ourselves wait for someone else to make us happy? Shouldn't we do that ourselves? It is not only that we should be the ones making ourselves happy, but we must be the ones to dictate our happiness. We have to be happy with ourselves on our own; without relying on anyone else. I am not saying that we need to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world in fear that we might actually enjoy being around someone (especially, Heaven forbid, a boy), but we shouldn't become dependent on someone or something to make us happy. Unfortunately, this is because people will leave, things will break, and life sometimes falls apart. At the end of some days, all you have is you. One of my favorite philosophers, Pascal, wrote about how man's biggest fear is to be alone in a room with nothing to distract himself. Try this sometime, and you will see what he's talking about. Who are you without your cellphone, or your friends, or your boyfriend. Are you happy with who that is? If you are not, then you are the only one who can change that. You must become content with who you are by accepting the gifts you've been given, and acknowledging your flaws. I believe that our ultimate goal should be to be so happy with who we were made to be, that we inspire others to do the same.