– Eudora Welty
I am sitting in my chair at home in the country, looking out on the green hills. There is everything right here to satisfy me: birds, flowers, trees, reasonable comfort, loyal companions, and the precious opportunity of selfless service. Right here is everything I need for complete happiness always.
But as I look out of my cottage window I see a camper in the distance traveling along the road. Somewhere in my mind is the uneasy stirring of a desire to jump into that camper and go out chasing rainbows to find the pot of gold at the end. This belief that somewhere out there is the land of joy dogs our footsteps wherever we go. As long as we look upon happiness as something outside us, we shall never be able to find it. Wherever we go it will still be beyond our reach, because “out there” can never be “in here.”
As Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is within.”
--Eknath Easwaran
I agree with Easwaran. If we have found true happiness within, we don't need to travel the country or the world looking for it. And if we haven't found it within, we can travel anywhere and everywhere and still be unhappy. This isn't to say that I never like to go anywhere. But I'm usually very content to stay here at home. Now, if only my wife were as content to stay here so much of the time as I am.
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