The Thing I Got Wrong About Happiness (A Letter to My Kids)

I spent most of my life running after happiness.

I was told that in order to be happy, I should do the things I enjoy. Follow my passion. Chase side hustles for extra money. Sound familiar? These days, everyone wants to be an influencer, gather millions of followers, build a personal brand, and search for fame.

But if that’s the formula, why is the world still so unhappy?

I’m not going to talk about external factors like wars, education systems, shifting culture, or technology. There’s plenty to say about those, but today, I want us to look inward.

The masters tell us something different. They say true happiness isn’t about doing the things we enjoy. It’s about enjoying the things we do. To keep working, but to keep our awareness on LIFE itself.

That might sound a little bizarre at first. Bear with me.

It’s a whole different way of seeing things. Our minds are constantly searching for something else always hoping something will change so we can finally feel better. But the masters teach us that life is a miracle happening right in front of us, right now.

You might say, “Convince the kids in Gaza or the people in southern Lebanon to ‘look inward.’”

And you’d be right to question it. But here’s the thing: we have no control over external circumstances. We never have. What we do have control over is what happens inside us.

Let me share a story that changed how I understand happiness.

A student went to visit a master and found a celebration underway. The master’s son was getting married. But amid all the joy and noise, the student was surprised to find the master sitting quietly in a room, knitting a shawl.

The very next day, the son fell gravely ill and died that same night. Everyone was mourning. The shawl the master had been knitting was now used to cover his son’s body for the funeral.

The student asked, “If you knew your son was going to die, why didn’t you pray for him to live longer?”

The master replied, “This body is temporary. It will be destroyed one day. The only thing worth praying for is the wisdom to accept whatever life has in store for us.”

This story isn’t about predicting the future. It’s about true Bliss!

It’s being comfortable with change, knowing that nothing lasts forever. It’s not running away from problems toward pleasures, but learning to be at peace with both.

So, what is true happiness? There is nothing called True Happiness. There is only Bliss!

It’s being free from mental and emotional struggle. It’s waking up and going to sleep feeling content and peaceful regardless of your circumstances.

Next time you feel uncomfortable or empty inside, don’t run from it. Stay with it. Observe it. Balance it by thinking about what you have, not what you lack. In that uncomfortable moment, list three things you’re grateful for. Right then and there.

One thing I’m always grateful for is having you both in my life.

With Love,Dad