We all seek happiness. It is part of nature to seek the best good that can make us happy. God made us to be happy. And that is why we seek to be happy. But we can be blinded to what true happiness is. Abraham Lincoln said that: "A person can be as happy as he has a mind to be." Well, surely that says that happiness is within us ...not outside of us.
But there are only four levels of happiness. Down the centuries, every one has lived on one of these levels...or have gone through all four in a lifetime. Many have only lived on level one. Some on level two: Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Caeser, President Clinton and President Obama. But none of these first two levels have ever brought true happines. In the end, they have or will bring misery. Why? Because people who live on level one or two, will do anything to stay on top of their game. Other Peoples' lives mean very little to those who live on level one and two. Let us see why:
"Happiness", Aristotle says, that it is "the only thing we choose for its own sake." All the steps to happiness we do not choose for their own sake but only for the sake of possibly obtaining happiness in itself.
Thus depending on what level of happiness we are living on or wish to be living on, does our biases have their roots: Here are the four levels of happiness; and the one we choose to live on will determine our bias and who we really are as a person. The Four Levels of Happiness are:
1) Level one: (Laetus: Latin for happiness) Pleasure principle: which has a source but is non-enduring happiness consists only in the maximization of our physical pleasures: in eating, entertainment, drinking, drugs, sex, play, and leisure for rest and relaxation. {This does not bring true happiness but more so addiction which is a need for more and more because these things cannot fully satisfy us.} This first level of happiness does not enage our deep loves or intellect. It lives on a surface level.
We cannot live our life on this level as our life's mail purpose.
2) Level two: (Felix: Latin for happiness) Ego happiness - Ego gratification: happiness sought in having power, prestige, fame, status, possessions, big toys, unlimited earning power in money, lands, real estate: security in things. This level seeks achievement, winning, admiration, respect, power in control of others. This level cannot be an end in itself because seeking happiness at this level creates jealously, envy, ambition, anger, rage. Some times this happiness of happiness seeks a security that could end in murder of those who would take this level away: e.g Harod killing the Holy Innocents. {This does not bring happiness but causes inner worry that we might lose our possessions, health, or be able to stay on top of our game. This cannot be an end in itself or our Life's purpose.}
3) Level three: Investing our life in something better or greater than oneself: Contributory Happiness: Happiness and satisfaction in knowing that our lives are making an optimal positive difference in the world, in the community, and in our families, church and even to an international societal good/welfare. On this level we seeks "joie de vivre" in doing good for others and making a difference for the whole world. This joy can come from doing for others or from being with others: contributing love to others or to individuals close to you. This could even be the love shared in marriage. This can be a noble purpose for one's life. It is a beginning not and end.
{This does bring some sense of happiness, as when Danny Thomas founded the St. Jude’s Research Hospital for sick children and Jerry Lewis hosted the telethon for so many years to raise money for Muscular Distrophy. This kind of happiness is a desire that our lives would have counted for something other than our own personal well being but the well being of others. But is this want Mother Teresa wanted to do to find her happiness? No. Hers was the next level of happiness.}
4) Level four: (Beatus: Blessed/Happy) Transcendent Happiness: Happiness that comes from the understanding of who we really are as transcendent beings - with soul and body - who have the need for eternal unconditional love, truth, peace, joy, beauty and being: God.
Happiness comes from being with God even here on earth: with God in His love for others; with God in His sacrificial love; with God in His compassion for others; with God on the cross to "fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ." - that is offering up our suffering for the salvation of others - redemptive suffering. This level of happiness - as shown by Sr. Francis of Assisi - can be our life's purpose: All for the love of God. Unless we have this "charity, it profits us nothing." And that is why levels 1, 2, and three cannot be the end purpose of our lives alone. {This level does bring true happiness here on earth and in the hereafter because this level of happiness why God created us and how are wired by God. "We are created to know Him, love Him, serve Him and be with Him forever." It is our Human Nature joined to God’s Divine Nature which He shares with us by grace and which makes for the fullest Happiness our being can hold.}
Peace and love, Pio
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