My dad always told me I shouldn’t strive to be happy
Now at first, that’s awful
But to explain he said, Son. you can feel happy
but you shouldn’t be happy
But isn’t being happy a good thing?
At times, of course it is
But emotions are fickle
They’re a response, not a lifestyle
Happiness at all times is forced
Meaningless, nothing without context
What you should strive for, he said
Is satisfaction.
It’s a hard state to describe
It isn’t measurable
But it’s important
You’re allowed to be upset
And Sad, and Angry, and Lonely,
But at the end of the day,
Being satisfied means being okay with it
Being in a place where you can look back
See yourself arrayed
And smile at what you see
Satisfaction is hard
Happiness is impossible
Life isn’t about plastering a smile
It’s not about climbing the highest peak
It’s about sitting in your nook on the cliffside
Looking at the view
looking at yourself
Seeing yourself
And loving what you are
Loving where you are
Loving who you are
Cedar Ridge High School
12