What If I Told You That I Can Give You Happiness…

Summary

The article discusses the nature of happiness as a transient state that can be given but not taken, and how it can be spread through acts of kindness and shared experiences.

Abstract

The author reflects on a conversation with Danelly Rodriguez about the essence of happiness, emphasizing that happiness is not a personal possession but a collective experience that can be multiplied by sharing. It is described as infectious, capable of manifesting from simple acts like a joke, and affecting the mood of others as well as oneself. The article suggests that while one cannot force happiness, one can learn to cultivate it and that true happiness is resilient, persisting even when faced with external negativity. The author posits that happiness grows when given away and can only be received, not taken.

Opinions

Happiness is contagious and can be spread through interactions, influencing both the giver and receiver.
One does not own happiness; it is a fleeting experience to be embraced when present and shared with others.
Happiness cannot be artificially created or forced; it arises naturally and can be nurtured through personal practices.
The act of giving happiness increases its abundance, suggesting that sharing joy enhances personal joy.
Happiness is robust and can withstand negative emotions when they are shared with someone who is happy.
Acceptance is key to experiencing happiness from others; it cannot be claimed but must be willingly received.

…but you can’t take it

I can attribute that quote to a conversation I had with the great Danelly Rodriguez. You might not know who he is yet, but give him some time.

This conversation was formative to the way I conceptualize happiness.

We were (in my case I still am) kids waxing poetic and trying our best to make sense of the world. We wanted to talk about what it means to be happy, and how we could make other people happy.

It’s infectious. It spreads like a plague. We get caught up in it. I love playing with it because it’s not only infectious from the inside out, or the outside in, happiness can simply manifest.

It can start from a simple joke to a store clerk — even when you’re in a bad mood, if it gets them smiling, you’re at risk to start smiling too. It’s not up to you to determine if you should start smiling, your brain, your body, your hormones, your being — these will decide for you.

Happiness doesn’t belong to you. It doesn’t belong to me. All I can do with mine is embrace it for the time that I have it, and share it with you.

Whether you embrace it, is not up to how much you want it. You can’t force it. We can only embrace it when it comes — or reject it.

You can ready yourself for it, you can learn to find it if you’re a master of the craft — you can learn to make it on your own.

I can give you all of my happiness and it still won’t run out. It will grow the more I give it away. Freely expanding more and more.

You can’t take my happiness.

You can give me your sadness. You can give me your anger. You can give me your pain. My happiness will still be there and it will find it’s way back.

But if you want my happiness, all you have to do is accept it.

If this made you happy, these other things also might

What If I Told You That I Can Give You Happiness…

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