Happiness is a monstrosity! Punished are those who seek it. – Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880)

I read this quotation on my blog one day and I was not sure what this meant. I kept thinking for a long time before I decided I want to write about it so I can understand it better. This was the best way for me to find out the thought process behind writing such an intense quote.

Punished are those who seek it – Yes, you will be punished if you seek something as big as the size of monster. If you seek a monster, he is not going to spare you. Similarly, seeking happiness has never spared a human from getting sorrows. The implies that Happiness is monstrosity.

Let’s start by defining “Happiness”. What is happiness? Some may say, what is not sadness is happiness. Others may say something that makes you feel good, brings a smile on your face, joy in your heart and satisfaction in your life. For me and for a lot of people out there like me, happiness is a state of mind. If you ‘decide’ to be happy, you will be (not that people like me follow all the time). Having said that, I still feel there is a something, something which you try to figure out all your life that gives you a reason to be happy. Rather gives your mind enough power to keep your thoughts positive. Is it? Being positive means being happy? I thought being positive meant being positive.

How do I break down the definition of these basic words like happiness, positivity etc? I really cannot. These are the states of mind or heart or whatever you want to call that you have learned as you grow. Essentially you have trained yourself in a way that you think positively or joyous when certain things happen in life. These things are what you have wished for either yourself or someone else. Obviously, when something you have thought of (keep in mind, your thoughts always process things that you don’t want to happen) happens to you, it will bring happiness to you.

I have debated 1000 times, on my own state of mind or feelings and have seen myself fluctuate from one feeling to the other extreme in no time. What is it that does that? I don’t know. Again, my argument goes back to the fact that I have certain notions set in the back of mind that tells those cells in my mind to make me happy or sad, make me think positively or negatively, make me calm or agitated. It’s all a state of mind but still this state is out of your control. Agree? May be not. As you grow, you tell yourself each day what is it that matters to you most and you see bigger picture of everything around you and eventually you say “things will fall in place”. Yes they do, sooner or later and the same thought brings peace, satisfaction which leads to happiness.

I seek happiness and will continue to do so…