Happiness

Posted by Abdalraheem on October 16, 2021 · 5 mins read

Happiness is for sure one of the hardest topics to talk about, and I know that I said I’ll keep things short and simple, but I actually started this post a few weeks ago.

What brought up this topic was when I came across this quote from Albert Einstein:(Written in old age)”I have never belonged wholeheartedly to a country, a state, nor to a circle of friends, nor even to my own family. When I was still a rather precocious young man, I already realized most vividly the futility of the hopes and aspirations that most men pursue throughout their lives. Well-being and happiness never appeared to me as an absolute aim. I am even inclined to compare such moral aims to the ambitions of a pig.”.

This somehow relatable, even though the later part is kind of harsh I mean “inclined to compare such morals to the ambitions of a pig” I wouldn’t go that far, but I’m not here to argue with Mr. Einstein (who would want to ?). I remember while ago on Twitter there was this debate on whereas “money can’t buy happiness” is a complete nonsense and that materialistic pleasure can bring you true happiness or at least comfort and peace of mind. First and quickly I just want to say that I really wish people stopped arguing on Twitter and stopped taking it seriously I rarely ever found someone that changed his mind about something based on strangers opinions on Twitter in one word: it’s pointless.

Now back to the Topic. The way I think of money is that it’s a tool to mainly buy time, for example I won’t work at a job that pays more but takes away so much of my non-work time because that would basically be meaningless. I have to make time for family time for hobbies I can’t be completely defined by the job I do no matter how I’m passionate about it. What’s interesting about our lives is that we can’t always choose the obvious simple solutions. Most of the time you have to calculate a lot of factors, and I think that this where the idea of not having to worry about money can be viewed as proxy for happiness. Now that you have free time and money what do you do? Our brains have this ability to normalize (I also hate Twitter for ruining words, this word for example I couldn’t write it without feeling stupid) any state we are in good or bad. You would crave something for so long and once you get it’s now nothing and the same when you lose something very precious. This essential to make life bearable. I think whereas you have money or not influence largely your views on if it canbring true happiness and fulfillment.

Money can give you comfort and time with yourself but the more time you’ll have with yourself the more you’ll look for deeper meaning to your life. I’m currently broke and I know money can solve many of the problems I have, but in the end I can’t scape me, I know that there’s things that no amount of money can change or fix. It can only distract.

Happiness is an indicator that you are living your life in alignment with your own goals and beliefs it can sometimes be in midst of much suffering and physical discomfort (athletes for examples) we are truly happy and on the contrary well-off people might find themselves in valley of despair and life becomes unbearable for them.

I’m happy when I’m writing this posts. I’m also happy to know that some people read them and find them useful or insightful or interesting. For a few minutes every now and then I stop worrying about things I get a piece of paper or open the notes app and pour random thoughts from my mind on it, this simple process makes me really happy.

Three months ago I publish this blog, quarter of an year! time is actually going so fast, 2021 is almost done (the corona virus is almost two years old now huh!) I never thought I write for more than two weeks or something now this is my 12th post here I just wanted to say thank you (again) to anyone who still read them and care enough to provide me with his opinion and thoughts about them, it means alot to me <3.