It Really Is Just As Simple

You know, I think that the secret to happiness is not necessarily using all of your energy and time and effort into finding an alternate world of perfection.
Perfection - God, every inkling of meaning behind that word makes me mad. Nobody really wants perfection. You can't possibly want a world where everything is happy go-lucky, skipping through the park, making love by the river, smiles and laughter full of perfection.
However, at the same time, nobody wants a world of constant greif and sadness, lonliness and abandonment. Of course not.
Everybody experiences love and pain at some point during their lives, but nobody get's to choose when or for how long these feelings will last.
You can't hide from these things, and by God, I wouldn't want to.
It's all these experiences and feelings, good or bad, that help you to form your version of "happiness". You learn to understand your boundries.
You think you know how far life can push you, but you'll be constantly surprised.

Happiness, when it really comes down to it, is being able to stand up and say that everything has gone to shit, but say it with a smile on your face because you know better than to think it's the end.
Happiness is being able to say that one day you'll be dead, but you'll never be dying.
Happiness is when you're finally able to see past all the imperfections.

And I'm still learning.