The Declaration of Independence guarantees every one of us the right to the pursuit of happiness. But because the Declaration is a political document and not a religious one, it does not warn us of the frustrations of trying to exercise that right, because the pursuit of happiness is the wrong goal. You don't become happy by pursuing happiness. You become happy by living a life that means something. The happiest people I know are probably not the richest or most famous, probably not the ones who work hardest at being happy by reading the articles and buying the books and latching on to the latest fads. I suspect that the happiest people I know are the ones who work at being kind, helpful and reliable, and happiness sneaks into their lives while they are busy doing those things. Indeed, one does not become happy by pursuing happiness I've decided. It is always a by-product, never a primary goal. Happiness is a butterfly---the more you chase it, the more it flies away from you and hides. But stop chasing it, put away your net and busy yourself with other, more productive things than the pursuit of personal happiness, and it will sneak up on you from behind and perch on your shoulder.
