Pursuit of Happyness

Have you watched it yet? We gave it 5 stars on Netflix. (Spoiler Alert!) An inspiring and frustrating story… “Inspiring”, in that it tells how one person’s endurance and perseverance really paid off; and “frustrating” because it glaringly showed the steep uphill and often unwinnable battle facing so many in down-and-out situations who are working so hard to change their predicament.

It reminded me to revisit the question, “How can I make a difference?”, a question that sometimes falls by the wayside, in the midst of other personal responsibilities, but one that I often use to keep myself in check. It’s not a matter of racking up community service points or feeling good about myself. To me, it is a moral obligation. It is unacceptable to walk by or turn away from those in need, no matter how many other responsibilities I may have. Granted, I may have fewer than most, which gives me the luxury to ponder this. But it does amaze me how easily we can compartmentalize our lives such that we can go through our days without giving a second thought to the sufferings and hardships of others. For most of us, I expect (hope) that it’s less of an apathy issue than the fact that we have our own sh*t to wrestle with.

As social beings, though, shouldn’t the welfare of others affect us in some way? Isn’t that what the “web of life” is all about, the notion that we’re all interconnected? I think so. I believe that the “pursuit of happiness” goes way beyond a personal endeavor. It reaches further towards a societal goal, where our own individual happiness is inextricably linked to the happiness of others.

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” -- 1 Corinthians 12:26