A while ago, I wrote three articles associated with the topic that I want to share again today. It is broad and has different edges and therefore also responses.
In Ancient Greece, both Aristotle, who was a disciple of Plato and Plato, in turn, of Socrates, already touched on the topic of happiness.
Aristotle said that happiness is not found in pleasures or sensations, nor in material wealth or power; since true happiness lies in the practice of virtues and the pursuit of moral and ethical excellence.
In turn, Plato indicates that people who possess virtues such as wisdom, courage and justice are happy; achieving individual and social well-being through them.
In the case of Socrates, who was Plato’s teacher, he tells us that happiness is the ultimate good of man and is achieved with virtuous practice, that is, if you know the truth and freely choose to use your will to practice it (habit ) this will eventually become a virtue.
These three philosophers who touched on what is related to happiness have in common that it is not in the accumulation of material goods or momentary pleasures.
Having made this brief introduction, I will now share an experience I had a few weeks ago in the town of Roque Peréz, province of Buenos Aires, a little more than 2 hours by car from Buenos Aires, the capital.
A group of Catholic families invited us to go on a mission on March 29 (Good Friday), the whole family went to this town, (mission consists of visiting some houses and families, with the aim of talking about the gospel and the activities of those holidays that occur in that particular locality).
We had the opportunity, along with two other families, to knock on the doors of three houses. Although they all treated us kindly, on the first they apologized for not serving us, which is contrary to what happened on the second and third visits.
The second family, made up of Marco and Celina, who are retired, opened the doors of their house to us and we shared a little more than 50 minutes in the garden. Celina told us that they lived alone in that little house, that their only son was a radiologist and now worked in this town, they had only one grandson, and he was already eight years old, that he was autistic and although he could barely communicate with them, it was his happiness, and happiness. Marco in turn shared that he managed one of the paddle tennis courts in the town of Roque Peréz and that sometimes he went with his grandson to work.
At that moment, Manu (a very observant child), 11-year-old son of one of the two families with whom we were doing that mission, asked Marco and Celia, why the walls of the patio were black as if burned. They responded that a few months ago their car, during one night, caught fire due to a short circuit. However, both in unison said, the material does not matter, we have each other and we are healthy.
At the end of the talk, PachuRicciardi, Manu’s mother, asked them if we could say a brief prayer with them for what they had shared. They accepted and immediately Celia spoke up and thanked GOD for the opportunity to meet each other and that we all have the most precious asset, health and the love of our families.
Three simple, but concrete lessons that Marco and Celia left me.
- Happiness is deep, isn’t it like joy that is superficial, although everything you shared was hard and difficult to face, they were facts that happen and you must assimilate them naturally, asking yourself why they happen and never why?
- Happiness is permanent, unlike joy that is fleeting, having your grandson every day of the week had no comparison with any momentary pleasure.
- Happiness fills the heart, because throughout the conversation they always transmitted a feeling of tranquility and joy to us in their vocal and body language.
Regarding this topic, Saint Augustine of Hippo, doctor of the church and one of the greatest thinkers of Christianity, said: “Happiness is the perfume that is shed on others when you smile at them.”
Nobody says that achieving happiness is easy and simple. Remember that what is valuable is difficult to achieve. Let us treasure and love what life has given us as parents, partners, family, friends and of course work. What do you say, we continue paddling against the current…!
