The pursuit of happiness
Most of us know within our hearts that there is great value in being happy, and we seek to experience this aspect of life. Many people try to find happiness in a variety of ways, few of which produce lasting results. Why do some lives seem filled with turmoil, anxiety, or depression while the ones living these lives are desperately seeking happiness?

Spiritual Wealth
Our material wealth may be easily determined, but what guidelines may be used to determine our spiritual wealth? How would we define spiritual wealth? Does it have a direct connection with the extent of our happiness? How happy are we as individuals? We may think that happiness is a result of positive circumstances. This can be true to a point.

We cannot be happy if we expect to live all the time at the peak of intensity. Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony. - Thomas Merton
 

A more mature view of happiness indicates that it is a by-product of loving service and sharing our good fortune with others. How do we feel when we have honestly given our best efforts to a job well done, shared sincere communication with another, visited someone who is ill, or laughed with a friend?