by Alex Hodder What is the pursuit of happiness? It's a question that has existed since the dawn of humanity. Everyone from great philosophers to the common man, found everywhere all across the world have pondered at some point, what it truly means to pursue happiness. Before writing this speech, I first needed to have an understanding of what happiness is, and at the time I had a fairly clear image of what it was. To me personally, it was a Friday at the end of a long work week, playing guitar and listening to good music, having a laugh with good friends or having a pretty girl smile at me, so on so forth, but I knew my idea of it wouldn'™t be enough to grasp the true concept of what happiness or the pursuit of it, so I asked my friends what their ideas on it. Some said their pursuit was destined to having great fortune, which I'm sure most could agree on, money can buy you just about anything you desire, and thus contribute to your pursuit. Others said it was having a good family, or significant other in your life, I'm sure we all known just how happy the love of family, friends or a significant other can make us. Another friend of mine had a completely different perspective, and said that life in itself was pointless, and that happiness was only temporary, nothing more than a feeling. I can't say I agreed, but I guess it'™s all in the way you look at things. I then took all of this into consideration and managed to interpret it as some key basic concepts: First, happiness can be found in a lot of the little different things we do and experience. For instance, think of all those moments when you'™ve experienced what you felt was real happiness, those sunsets at the end of a summer day, making a joke with the guys at school or work found funny, having the last bit of cake all to your self, just to name a few. No matter how short or long the moment was, you were happy. These moments may be scarce for most, but it just makes those moments that much sweeter for when they finally do come around. We also seen an abundant amount of happiness is the love we give and get from the people around us, everywhere from your first kiss to your 30th anniversary, from the holidays spent with family to the nights you spent with friends. The sensation of love is like no other at times it may have driven you crazy, maybe you thought you hated them at some point, but above all else, you set aside al those bad times to make way for the good, just to say "œscrew it, we're staying in and ordering pizza" and spend time with those you care about, all in the name of happiness. Even looking back on all these moments, though the times may be distant now, can still make you happy. All these things, whether or nor we realize it, deeply motivate us, and all contribute to our personal pursuit of happiness. Second, we tie our happiness to a lot of materialistic things. An example, think of that one item in our life that you posses that makes you happiest. It could be that new F-150 truck you bought or even that talking clock we call a smartphone in your pocket, think of how happy it makes you, now think of how you'™d feel if it were gone. You see, humans are strange creatures, we tie our emotions, our love and affections to the things we own, for reasons I don'™t fully understand, but can only blame the fact that they simply make us happy. It'™s these items that make life easier, that entertain us, and in most cases make the world go round. By this I mean, entire industries are based on providing you with products that will make you happy, everything from cheeseburgers and beer to massage chairs and video games. In saying that, there's a downside to it our love of stuff, we're easily persuaded through advertisement to buy things we are convinced will make us happy whether or not that may be true, to the point where our entire culture revolves around it. Though on the bright side these items that we truly enjoy can extraordinary assists us in our pursuit of happiness, or just make us happy for the moment of its use. Third of all, the pursuit of happiness itself is something a lot of us live and strive for without even knowing it. It'™s without a doubt, in the things we do, say, and create. You've got something your passionate about, you chase that dream, you work hard at it even though at times it seems impossible, and at the end of the wild chase, you get to look back at the dream you finally caught up to. For some it'™s the beautiful artwork or poetic masterpieces they'™ve created, for others the music they'™ve made or even just surviving high school, looking back on it all will make you happy knowing that you made it, but what made you strive for it all along was really happiness, something you were eagerly ready to pursue. On a final note, if you want to be literal about it, happiness is just a chemical your brain produces that we'™ve labeled an emotion, but the way I see it, there'™s so much more to it. I've come to the conclusion that happiness, and the pursuit of it, is quite simply but one of many factors of life that gives our existence meaning, that gives light to dark days, that gives survival, goals and dreams a purpose. And through doing what we do best, love of all kinds, enjoying what we have, and living in the present, you can better pursue happiness and even gain some of it along the way. Thank you for your time, and may you remember this bit of wisdom as you call continue your own pursuit of happiness. Note: Our son, 16 years of age, on August 14th 2015 passed away. March of 2015 he presented the Pursuit of Happiness speech at a speech off al the Lion's Club in Glovertown where he took second place.   Submitted By: NULL