What is happiness?....according to a rabbit it is a string of pearls

 

"What is happiness?" said the Little Rabbit to the Big Rabbit.

"Oh, that's a hard question, Little Rabbit", answered the Big Rabbit.

"Hard? I don't understand, why is it a hard question, Big Rabbit?"

"Because Little Rabbit,  it means different things to different creatures.

For us rabbits it can mean an open field, a secure burrow, a healthy litter, and plenty of food for all of us. For other four legged creatures it can mean the freedom to roam, to hunt, to graze, to run like the wind. But when it comes to the two legged creatures, it seems more complicated", replied the Big Rabbit.

"Complicated? Why so?" asked the Little Rabbit.

"Well, it seems to me that each two legged creature has its own understanding of it.

Now, I am not a two legged creature, so all I can do is speculate, but since you asked, I'll share with you my speculations.

As I understand it, for some of them happiness seems to be about having things, for others having good relationships with their families, friends and partners, for some having the freedom to do what they want when they want, for some it seems to be about feeling good about themselves, but there are many more reasons I am sure. To be honest, I have always wondered why the two-legged's seem to view happiness as constant, rather than a inconstant".

"Big Rabbit, what do you mean with constant? I don't think I understand what you mean", said the Little Rabbit.

"You know how the two-legged's like to immerse themselves in water?" said the Big Rabbit.

"Yuk, yes, I have seen them in lakes, rivers, bathtubs, and the ocean", said the Little Rabbit and shook his head.

"Well, sometimes it seems to me as if the two-legged's think of happiness as an everlasting "bathtub" filled with perfectly heated water that they can immerse themselves in. And stay in. For me, happiness is more like a string of pearls, with each pearl representing a moment of happiness.

"How do you mean Big Rabbit?" asked the Little Rabbit.

"When you experience a moment of happiness, it's like a precious pearl, but as you know Little Rabbit, there are also moments that are scary, dangerous, hungry, sad, and difficult, and that's the bits in between the pearls on the string of pearls. What do you think would happen to the pearls if they were not strung together on a string, Little Rabbit?"

"I imagine they could easily be lost, Big Rabbit", answered the Little Rabbit then continued "so the string is really important then?"

"Yes, it is Little Rabbit. The string holds all the pearls together so when or if, dark times strike, one

can be reminded of all the happy moments one has experienced", the Big Rabbit responded.

"So the pearls represents the happy moments, I understand that, I also understand now how important the string is, but..., what is the string made from, Big Rabbit?" asked the Little Rabbit.

"Hmmmm, let me think for a moment".

After many minutes past the Big Rabbit spoke:"The string is life as experienced by the creature living it, Little Rabbit".

"Ah", said the Little Rabbit.

"Now, let us watch this pearl of a sunset together Little Rabbit".

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
(Dalai Lama XIV)