Joy and Happiness

We plan and design our cities, communities, families, and personal lives, According to our beliefs about the purpose of life, Our happiness is rooted in money and all that money buys, The way we spend our money is the way we budget our happiness. Money is the universal language of civilization, Money pays for our homes, schools, universities, and hospitals, Recreation centers, shopping centers, and even Christmas Day, Happiness, the world might agree, is our end goal. For these reasons, one might think: "The purpose of life, is the pursuit of happiness." Yet, we also believe, that “money can’t buy one happiness”, And “the love of money is the root of all evil.” Well, it might be argued, society can, and should, reconsider, And, when we do, a greater truth is manifest, One which can, and should, change everything, A truth, unfortunately, that remains, to the world, obscure. Yes, money does buy happiness, But, happiness, we learn, IS NOT THE PURPOSE OF LIFE, after all! Humanity, therefore, is moving in the WRONG direction, Which explains the disappointment and loss, of this modern world. The true purpose of life, is hereby revealed: TO CARE FOR LIFE IN A KIND, THOUGHTFUL, AND COMPASSIONATE WAY, When we do, our reward is JOY, And joy, we learn, is greater than happiness. Happiness is fleeting, joy is forever, Happiness is like "getting" a gift, joy is like "giving" a gift, Happiness is the "by-product" of our success, joy is the fulfillment, Happiness is the money, joy provides the meaning. No wonder then, that the love of money is the root of all evil, Money distracts humanity from working, and living, joyfully, The rich may be the happiest people of all, But joy, not money, is what counts the most. On a personal “to-do" list, nobody can write “today, I will find happiness”, Because happiness, as the by-product of our success, finds us, But everyone can write, “today, I will treat everybody I meet, In a kind, thoughtful, and compassionate way."