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By Anita Healey
In the movie The Pursuit of Happiness (2006), Will Smiths !hara!ter ma"es
the o#servation that the $nite% States &e!laration of In%epen%en!e in!lu%es
in its short list of 'unaliena#le ri(hts) the ri(ht to the pursuit of happiness
*not the ri(ht to #e happy, #ut the ri(ht to pursue happiness+
Why, he ,uestions,
-as it -or%e% that -ay.
His !on!lusion is that its author, Thomas /efferson, must have un%erstoo%
that happiness is somethin( that -e all %esire an% strive for,
#ut also somethin( that not all -ill fin% or #e a#le to hol% onto+
0of al-ays feelin( that
if only I ha% a #oyfrien%,
if only I !oul% !han(e
!ertain aspe!ts of my 1o#,
if only my !ir!umstan!es
!oul% #e 1ust the -ay I
-ante% them, then I -oul%
#e happy an% free from
the #outs of %epression
I stru((le% -ith+
I had my years of chasin happiness!
T"o years ao I hi# a $o" poin#%
In despera#ion
I asked &od
#o do some#hin
'any#hin'
#o pu$$ me ou#
of #he morass
I "as sinkin in#o%
I fe$# #ha# a$$ #he cards had (een s#acked aains# me)
#ha# I mus# (e #he mos# horri($e person in #he "or$d)
and #ha# I "asn*# "or#h any#hin%
In one of my times of prayer,
He helpe% me see that a ma1or reason
I -as so %o-n -as that I -asn2t -illin(
to a!!ept an% ma"e the most of
the situation I -as in+
It was true.
I felt that the problem
was always with my
circumstances,
never with me.
That ma%e me even
more %epresse%,
#ut finally I (ave in an%
as"e% 3o% to help me
to a!!ept that truth
*that the real pro#lem -as
not my !ir!umstan!es,
#ut my a##i#ude
to-ar% them+
Accep#in my
circums#ances)
"ha#e+er #hey
happened #o (e a#
#he #ime) seemed
impossi($e a# firs#%
4or e5ample, #efore lon( He #rou(ht a -on%erful person into my life,
an% that reassure% me of His love an% #ooste% my self6esteem+
Once I "as
"i$$in #o $e#
&od chane
my a##i#ude)
,e did #he
res#%
I have learne% that
happiness is a choice)
an% one that I must
make e+ery day%
Circums#ances
don*# need #o (e
perfec# for me #o
choose #o (e happy
and #hankfu$ for "ha#
I ha+e and #o make
#he mos# of i#%
---+tommys-in%o-+!om
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