Unhappiness of Happiness

It was night in half the world. There was calm in less than half of the half of the world. For the rest of the more than half, night was day and activity continued unabated - hunting, running, wining and dining. 

Untainted happiness waited with bated breath to follow that calm into the hearts of at least those who had surrendered to sleep. But it found it's entry barred as many dreamers carried the nightmares of the day into their sleep. Fear and anger stood guard, not letting joy even a toe hold at the door of their heart. 

Happiness resignedly went back into its shell in those very hearts that struggled with other emotions. Like reams of muslin folded and packed into a small box, infinite joy curled up and lay still like an unsprouted seed holding a universe of bliss in its bosom, waiting for the day the dreamers would set all else aside to look at it, to feel it, to let it fill their lives.

It pondered. Where had it gone wrong? It had asked for nothing, laid no conditions, expected no invitations. It was ever present, just a breath away, and all it asked for was awareness and acknolwledgement. Instead, it had to vie with unhappiness which was bolstered by a battalion of greed, jealousy, fear, anger and what have you. Happiness had tried to ride on achievements, acquisitions, affection, and it seemed to reign momentarily. Then unhappiness arrived, heralded by its allies that were too strong, too quick, too overwhelming. They could destroy what was built. They could burn bonds that were forged with iron. They could drown even the sounds of laughter. 

And all this, happiness could only watch with a gentle smile, trying hard to say, 'I am here, don't look this way or that, just focus on me.' It tried to enter the crevices between tears, between shouted words, between whispered insinuations. It tried to reveal its glory in simple moments, at times when there was no being or becoming. But lo! There arrived fear, or envy, or something else that looked askance, introduced guilt and dragged the mind away into lands that happiness had no desire to follow.

It made do with what it got - a few hours of sleep, a few minutes of meditation, a few seconds of this or that. It took refuge in those who knew, who let their hearts open up like the ocean and hold the happiness there for what it was - no strings attached. Just waves and waves of joy sweeping their being, unmindful of pain and pleasures that tried to tempt them away. They let some of it trickle to those who held their vessels up and sought it. A taste, like pickle, to go with the other tastes that still filled their palatte. It could remain that or grow like tsunami, sweeping them off as it had the givers, the enjoyers.

For the rest, happiness would still seem elusive, a promised land that did not exist but they yearned for. It lay waiting in the unspoken answers to their questions. Happiness would wait, for them to discover it right in their hearts, unconditional and undemanding, if only they cared to look there.