So all my life I was told the ultimate goal was to be happy.

We get jobs that make us happy.

We keep friends that make us happy. 

We date the boys that make us happy.

The more I think about it, the more I recognize how often we excuse bad decisions based on the assumption that they, at one point, made us happy. 

But emotions aren’t reality, much to my inner 13-year old’s chagrin. I came to terms with this when I realized that I needed to split with my ex-hunny even though I loved him and it made me beyond depressed to do so.

How can it be the right decision if I’m so sad? If being with each other made us happy? Because scientifically, emotions are chemical reactions not facts. And spiritually, we don’t have a real grasp on all that we are capable of, all that our life’s path entails.

So if the negative emotions aren’t reality, neither are the positive and we shouldn’t be basing our lives on happiness. We shouldn’t be basing our romantic standards on finding someone who makes us happy. Because what happens when all hell breaks loose and the happiness goes away? Do you search for a new spouse? I think that might be exactly what our society is doing.