Happiness as a Hymn March 20, 2014
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness, People.comments closed
Yesterday, I read an undated Philosophy paper my mother wrote years ago ~ probably in college but possibly later in life.
After addressing a number of different theories (Existentialism, Rationalism, Determinism, Intuition), she concluded with the following:
What are we trying to achieve?
Here, I believe with Plato and Aristotle that the highest good is the full development of our individual potentialities ~ and this is happiness, complete in itself, the intrinsic good.
The individual will know happiness as a state of being, not as a momentary pleasure, and it will be the hymn of his life to uplift him and to sing on into the lives of all who know him.
On these points, she agrees, also, with the Dalai Lama . . . we are here to be happy and to make others happy.
Let that be the Coda to each of our lives.
Aah . . . that’s better!
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence” ~ Aristotle
Related posts: Coaxing the Statue from the Stone * International Day of Happiness (Huffington Post) * International Happiness Day (T4D)
Spirit Lights The Way 