are we really meant to be *happy*?

i was just surfing and happened upon elena at mydomesticchurch, who was hitting upon a nerve of mine so i thought i'd do a cut and paste to see if we could foster further discussion on this topic...

she states:

The meaning of life, isn't to be happy!!

Oh, happiness is a nice byproduct but it wasn't the reason you were born and it's not the reason God lets you suck air all day long. If happiness were the goal, the most important reason for you to be on earth, then most of the saints and perhaps all of the martyrs were miserable failures or psychotic.

to that, i say *amen*.

then she goes on to discuss marriage, which i wholeheartedly agree with:

In marriage, the husband and wife are supposed to serve each other and their children. And that's not always a 50-50 split, sometimes it can't be...

But it's not called to be a "fair" split, it's supposed to be a complete giving of self - 100% 365/24/7! I think when couples lose sight of that and start focusing only or mostly on themselves ... that's when marriages get into trouble ...

So go ahead, pick up his dirty underwear for the millionth time, go put gas in her car and clean the snow off the windows so she doesn't have to... and BE HAPPY ABOUT IT. As St. Thomas would say, being happy is easy - JUST WILL IT!!

that is just wonderful stuff. i wish i could print leaflets and distribute them to passersby on the streets... i'd, of course, keep one copy for myself, just in case i could use a reminder.

to that end, i am wondering, exactly what is *happy*?